Nobuo Kishi

North Korea test-fired a barrage of short-range ballistic missiles from multiple locations toward the sea on Sunday, South Korea's military said, extending a provocative streak in weapons demonstrations this year that U.S. and South Korean officials say may culminate with a nuclear test explosion.

The launch of the North Korean rocket comes a day after U.S. President Joseph Biden completed his Asian tour during which he visited Seoul and Tokyo, according to Reuters.
This is the 17th ballistic test that North Korea has performed since the beginning of the year.
Earlier this month, Pyongyang launched an intercontinental ballistic missile from a submarine.

North Korea on Jan. 30 fired what appeared to be the most powerful missile it has tested since U.S. President Joe Biden took office, possibly breaching a self-imposed suspension on the testing of longer-range weapons as it revives its old playbook in brinkmanship to wrest concessions from Washington and neighbors amid a prolonged stalemate in diplomacy.

Fumio Kishida was elected Japan's prime minister in a parliamentary vote on Oct. 4 and will be tasked with quickly tackling the pandemic and other domestic and global challenges and leading a national election within weeks.

Albanian authorities hope that the new Japanese embassy in Tirana will help economic exchanges between two countries grow and encourage Japanese businesses to invest in Albania.

The ribbon-cutting ceremonial opening of the embassy was performed by the Albanian Foreign Minister, Ditmir Bushati, and by Japan's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Nobuo Kishi, on Monday.