North Korea fires ballistic missile over Japan

 

Tuesday saw what seemed to be a ballistic missile fired from North Korea over Japan, according to the nation's defence ministry. According to the Japanese Ministry of Defense, the alleged ballistic missile was launched at 7:22 a.m. local time and passed over Japan at 7:29 a.m.

The South Korean government acknowledged that the Japanese government had issued a shelter-in-place advisory. Although it seems certain that the missile went over Japan, it is still unknown if it hit the water.

Despite declining to provide further details, a U.S. defence official told ABC News that North Korea did indeed launch a ballistic missile on Tuesday local time over Japan.

Near the northernmost tip of Japan, in the prefectures of Aomori and Hokkaido, residents were urged to remain vigilant and to call the police or fire department if they saw any debris.

Officials also issued a warning to the public not to touch or pick up any trash. Fumio Kishida's office, the prime minister of Japan, started to collect people to assess the situation.

No damage has yet been detected, according to a government official, and a search is being made for debris. Information is being gathered by officials, who will collaborate with South Korea and the US.

The representative claimed that North Korea's actions "threaten Japan and the international community." "Such missile launches are prohibited by U.N. resolutions. In light of this, Japan will mount a forceful protest against North Korea. All fresh information will be rapidly disseminated."

"The United States strongly condemns the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) hazardous and reckless decision to launch a long-range ballistic missile over Japan," the White House said in a statement late Monday local time in Washington, D.C.”

According to Adrienne Watson, a spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan had telephone conversations with his counterparts in Japan and South Korea on Monday evening local time.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan reaffirmed the United States' unwavering pledges to the protection of Japan and the ROK (South Korea) in both calls, according to Watson. The National Security Advisors also discussed appropriate and robust joint and multilateral actions.

In August 2017, a missile last passed over Japan. North Korea has launched 21 ballistic missiles and two cruise missiles so far this year alone.