North Korea has launched a ballistic missile over Japan in what looks to be a calculated attempt to attract the attention of Tokyo and Washington.
The missile traveled 4,500 kilometers (2,800 miles) before crashing into the Pacific Ocean, a distance sufficient to strike the US territory of Guam had it taken a different direction.
Since 2017, this is the first North Korean missile launch over Japan.
Some Japanese citizens received an alert to seek cover. The United States and South Korea reacted with bombing exercises.
Four planes from each side participated in the drill, firing at a simulated target on an uninhabited island in the Yellow Sea, according to the South Korean chiefs of staff. According to a statement, the exercise underscored Seoul and Washington’s resolve to respond strongly to Pyongyang’s threat.
The United Nations prohibits North Korea from testing nuclear and ballistic missiles. Flying missiles towards or above other nations without prior warning or consultation is likewise a violation of international law.
As it might easily be misinterpreted as an attack, most nations avoid doing it entirely. Even if it is not as significant as a nuclear test, which could be the next step, it is extremely provocative.
According to reports, residents of northern Japan, including Hokkaido island and Aomori city, awoke to the sound of sirens and SMS notifications that read: “It appears like North Korea has launched a missile. Please flee underground or inside structures.”
As the missile soared overhead, they were cautioned to be on the lookout for debris that might fall. According to reports and a video showing Tokyo commuters walking peacefully while warnings blared from loudspeakers, many appeared to remain calm.
Others, however, were more rattled. Kazuko Ebina, a resident of Aomori, was quoted in the Asahi Shimbun as saying, “If a missile were to strike, I feared that it would cause a major problem not only in Aomori but across the nation.”
The intermediate-range ballistic missile reportedly crashed into the Pacific Ocean far from Japan, and no injuries were recorded.
It had traveled the furthest distance ever traveled by a North Korean missile and reached an altitude of approximately 1,000 kilometers, which was higher than the International Space Station.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan referred to the launch as “violent behavior,” and Defense Minister Yasuya Hamada stated that Japan will not rule out any option to bolster its defenses, including “counterattack capabilities.”
Adrienne Watson, a spokesperson for the US National Security Council, described the move as “dangerous and foolish” and “destabilizing” to the region.
Japan, the United States, and South Korea have been working together to improve their defenses in response to the North’s mounting threat.
The three nations conducted joint naval maneuvers for the first time since 2017 last week. Such exercises have long irritated Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, who perceives them as evidence that his foes are preparing for war.
In reaction to the 2017 joint exercises, North Korea launched two missiles over Japan. The nation performed a nuclear test one week later.
Recent evidence indicates that North Korea is preparing to conduct another nuclear test.
It is anticipated that North Korea will wait until after China, its most important partner, holds its Communist party conference at the end of this month.
Experts believe that North Korea is preparing for a nuclear test, as evidenced by Tuesday’s launch.
The missile launch is Pyongyang’s fifth in the past week. Saturday saw the landing of two rockets in waters outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
Numerous North Korean missile launches are done at a high altitude to prevent flying over its neighbors.
Analyst Ankit Panda told Reuters that launching over or past Japan helps North Korean scientists to test missiles under situations “more typical of the conditions they would face in actual use.”
Japan’s colonization of Korea from 1910 to 1945 and the North’s abduction of Japanese people in the past have led to ongoing tensions between North Korea and Japan.
North Korea passed legislation declaring itself a nuclear weapons state earlier this month, and its leader Kim Jong-un has ruled out the possibility of denuclearisation discussions.
Between 2006 and 2017, North Korea conducted six nuclear tests, resulting in extensive sanctions.
The East Asian state routinely conducts nuclear and missile tests in violation of international prohibition, citing the need to enhance its defenses.
