NHK has learned that a projectile launched by North Korea on Tuesday night was split into at least three stages, and the third portion disappeared from radar.

The Japanese government has said that a single projectile fired by the North was split into multiple stages. It says the first stage fell into the East China Sea, and the second one flew over Japan's Okinawa Prefecture before splashing into the Pacific Ocean.

Several government sources have also told NHK that they confirmed the radar track of a third stage of the projectile.

They said the third portion flew about 1,200 kilometers, soared to an altitude of about 450 kilometers and disappeared from radar about 400 kilometers north of Okinawa's Miyakojima island.

Pyongyang claims it was a launch of a reconnaissance satellite.

The Japanese government says at the moment it has obtained no confirmation that the projectile successfully put a satellite into orbit.

It also says it will continue its analysis and share information with relevant countries, in light of the announcement by the North that it succeeded in putting the satellite into orbit.