North Korea fires its longest-range ballistic missile over Japan
News October 4, 2022 1 Comment on North Korea fires its longest-range ballistic missile over JapanNorth Korea fired a long-range ballistic missile over Japan on October 4, 2022, for the first time in the last five years. The missile test prompted the Japanese administration to issue a public warning to its residents.
Last time it was in 2017 when North Korea fired a missile on a trajectory over Japan. The missile flew for more than 4,600 kilometers making it the longest flying missile ever fired by North Korea. With such range capability, North Korea can easily target the U.S. island of Guam in the Pacific Ocean.
As soon as the missile launch was detected, Japan warned its citizens to take cover and suspended some transportation operations including some trains as the missile passed from its northern skies before falling into the Pacific Ocean. The government activated threat sirens in Tokyo and warned the residents to look out for falling debris. However, many of the residents appeared to remain calm. Some videos circulating on social media show commuters walking calmly on the streets as sirens and warning announcements are being played in the background.
Japan said that it took no steps to shoot the missile down but Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said that Japan would not rule out such options in the future, including a counterattack if North Korea keeps provoking the Japanese defense.
Sirens blared in Japan warning residents to take shelter after North Korea launched a ballistic missile test over Japan for the first time since 2017 pic.twitter.com/Lt8BFSGyPH
— IRIA (@IRIA_Research) October 4, 2022
In response to the North Korean missile tests, the U.S. and South Korean air forces conducted joint operation drills by bombing some targets in the Yellow Sea. Fighter jets from the U.S. Air Force carried out exercises in the Sea of Japan along with their South Korean counterparts.
North Korea’s latest missile test comes at a time when the U.S. is increasing its attention toward the Indo-Pacific region, particularly towards the Korean Peninsula. A U.S. aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan arrived in South Korea last month along with its strike group, to participate in joint military drills with the South Korean forces.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris visited South Korea and Japan last week in order to bolster the trilateral relations between the three countries while accusing North Korea of undermining regional security.
U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said that North Korea’s unannounced missile tests show its “blatant disregard for United Nations Security Council resolutions and international safety norms.”
The U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also held phone calls with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts in response to the North Korea Missile test. Blinken said that U.S. ‘strongly condemns’ such tests. He said that North Korea is openly violating the UN Security Council nuclear and missile sanctions.
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[…] the eastern coast of the Korean Peninsula, marking the second such exercise under 24 hours after Pyongyang fired a ballistic missile over Japan without a warning for the first time in five […]