What Does It Mean for North Korea to Fly a Missile Over Japan?

North Korea staged its 18th, and perhaps most provocative, missile test of the year Monday night Eastern Time over Japan’s northernmost main island, following a month in which North Korean and American leaders have traded threats.

The missile, whose launch was confirmed by the Pentagon and South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff, flew 1,678 miles over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido for approximately 14 minutes before breaking into three pieces and crashing into the Pacific Ocean. The Japanese military did not attempt to shoot down the missile, those within its range to take necessary precautions. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, speaking to reporters early Tuesday morning local time, the government is doing its utmost to protect Japanese citizens from what he called an “unprecedented, grave, and serious threat.”