After months of warnings, North Korea fired three short-range missiles from its east coast in a north-easterly direction missing Japan.

But the fact that they’re short range missiles and they were apparently not directed to pass over any neighbors, suggest there will be less diplomatic backlash, then if they were longer range missiles, or rockets capable of putting a satellite in orbit.

From Al-Jazeera’s report:

“These sorts of short range tests don’t attract the same kind of approach that longer range or nuclear tests carry with them and they were fired north easterly. So they are likely not to provoke any sort of retaliatory measure from South Korea or Japan.”

The launches come days after Japanese official Isao Iijima made a surprise visit to North Korea for talks with the president of North Korea’s parliament Kim Yong Nam. The media has speculated the talks were about improving bilateral ties after decades of a frosty relationship.

Days before the Japanese announced that the batteries of Patriot missiles in Okinawa would be kept there on a permanent basis.