The Japanese government says North Korea has launched a projectile that appeared to use ballistic missile technology. It flew over the southern prefecture of Okinawa. North Korea's state-run news agency says the launch failed due to an error in its third stage.

The Japanese government has reported the projectile was launched south of a launch site in the country's northwest at around 3:51 a.m. Japan time.

The Self-Defense Forces didn't attempt to destroy the projectile and there have been no reports of damage.

NHK reporters in a town in northeastern China on the North Korean border captured footage of a light rising into the sky.

The government convened a meeting of the National Security Council to study the situation.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno Hirokazu said; "This is a violation of UN Security Council resolutions prohibiting any launches, and poses a serious threat to the safety of Japanese citizens. North Korea conducted the launch despite having been asked many times to cancel them. The launch is an extremely problematic act, not only with regard to the safety of aircraft and ships, but also to the public."

Japanese Defense Ministry officials say pieces of the projectile fell into the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea off the Korean Peninsula, and the Pacific Ocean off the Philippines.

North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency says the country will try again to launch a military reconnaissance satellite in October.