North Korea has put Japan on high alert after firing a medium-range ballistic missile, the fifth launch in 10 days, amid expectations that it is gearing up to test its first nuclear weapon in five years.
Japan’s NHK national television said multiple missiles were fired from North Korea on Saturday morning and were believed to have landed in the Sea of Japan, though outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
The spotted missile by the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Japanese coast guard raised an alarm in northern Japan with residents advised to seek cover.
Temporary suspensions of train service were made in the northeastern Hokkaido and Aomori regions.
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The North Korean missile was recorded as the first weapon to fly over Japan since 2017, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida condemned what he called a “barbaric” act.
According to an official report from the Presidential office, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol warned of a stern response after the launch of the missile.
“(The NSC) made it clear that continued North Korean provocations cannot be tolerated and that there would be a price to be paid,” the statement from Yoon’s office said.
According to Tokyo and Seoul officials, the missile traveled 4,500 to 4,600 km (2,800-2,850 miles) and reached a maximum altitude of roughly 1,000 km (620 miles).
The missile was launched from a location in the north of the nation, close to the Chinese border, and it was in the air for almost 22 minutes until it crashed into the Pacific Ocean.
Tokyo Defence minister, Yasukazu Hamada said the city had not ruled out any possibilities, including the use of counterattack capabilities, despite its claim that it had not attempted to shoot the missile down.
“North Korea’s series of actions, including its repeated ballistic missile launches, threatens the peace and security of Japan, the region, and the international community, and poses a serious challenge to the entire international community, including Japan,” top government spokesperson Hirokazu Matsuno, told a news conference.
The US stated that National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken had telephone conversations with their counterparts in South Korea and Japan and that it strongly denounced the “dangerous and reckless” decision to fire a missile over Japan.
“This action is destabilizing and shows the DPRK’s blatant disregard for United Nations Security Council resolutions and international safety norms,” National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement, using the initials for North Korea’s official name.
Blinken reassured Seoul and Tokyo that the US commitment to their defense remained “ironclad”.
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