Tokyo [Japan], October 4 (ANI): Japan on Tuesday urged residents to evacuate to shelters after North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile that flew over Tokyo. According to Kyodo News, early Tuesday, the government issued an alert urging residents in Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido and the country’s northeastern prefecture of Aomori to stay inside buildings.

During a press conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno as quoted by Kyodo News said that after crossing northeast Japan the missile is believed to have fallen in the Pacific Ocean outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone around 7:44 am (local time).

Meanwhile, the South Korean military said that North Korea fired a mid-range ballistic missile eastward from Mupyong-ri in the northern province of Jagang. Citing Japanese government source, Kyodo News reported that there were no immediate reports of damage to aircraft or ships.

Earlier, North Korea fired missiles on Saturday in an apparent protest against joint naval drills held last week involving the United States and South Korea, as per the media outlet. (ANI)

US, South Korea conduct bombing drill hours after North Korea missile launch

The United States and South Korea jointly conducted a bombing drill on a Yellow Sea island, the South Korean military said on Tuesday, hours after North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM). North Korea launched an unidentified ballistic missile over Japan earlier today. This is the first such missile launch in years, prompting a warning for residents to take cover in northern Japan.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said that the F-15K dropped the Joint Direct Attack Munition bombs at a target on the island of Jikdo after joint air drills with US warplanes, Yonhap news agency reported. “Through the combined flight of the air strike package and precision strike drills, South Korea and the United States demonstrated their will to respond sternly to any Northern threats as well as their capabilities to conduct a precision strike at the origin of provocations based on the alliance’s overwhelming forces,” the JCS said in a press release.

In an earlier statement, US Indo-Pacific Command said they are aware of the DPRK’s ballistic missile launch today, including that it overflew Japan. “We are consulting closely with Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK), as well as other regional allies and partners, to address the threats posed by the DPRK.”

The United States condemned these actions and called on the DPRK to refrain from further unlawful and destabilizing acts. “While we have assessed that this event does not pose a threat to U.S. personnel, or territory, or to our allies, we will continue to monitor the situation. The U.S. commitments to the defense of Japan and the ROK remain ironclad,” the statement said. Last week, North Korea fired missiles in an apparent protest against joint naval drills involving the United States and South Korea.
Under the Kim Jong-un regime, North Korea this year has tested a record number of missiles as it expands its weapons arsenal. (ANI)

Biden, Kishida ‘strongly condemn North Korea missile test that overflew Japan

Washington [US], October 5 (ANI): US President Joe Biden on Tuesday (local time) spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and jointly condemned North Korea’s test firing of a ballistic missile that overflew Japan.

“The leaders jointly condemned the DPRK’s missile test in the strongest terms, recognizing the launch as a danger to the Japanese people, destabilizing to the region, and a clear violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions,” a White House statement read.

North Korea on Tuesday conducted its longest-ever weapons test, a nuclear-capable ballistic missile that flew over Japan, after which Tokyo urged residents to evacuate to shelters. According to Kyodo News, early Tuesday, the government issued an alert urging residents in Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido and the country’s northeastern prefecture of Aomori to stay inside buildings.

The White House said that both Biden and Kishida confirmed that they would continue to closely coordinate their immediate and longer-term response bilaterally, trilaterally with the Republic of Korea, and with the international community. “They confirmed they would continue to closely coordinate their immediate and longer-term response bilaterally, trilaterally with the Republic of Korea, and with the international community. The leaders discussed the importance of immediate return and resolution of the cases of Japanese citizens abducted by the DPRK and resolved to continue every effort to limit the DPRK’s ability to support its unlawful ballistic missile and weapons of mass destruction programs,” the statement added.

Tuesday’s missile launch was the first such missile launch in years, prompting a warning for residents to take cover in northern Japan. Last week, North Korea fired missiles in an apparent protest against joint naval drills involving the United States and South Korea. Under the Kim Jong-un regime, North Korea this year has tested a record number of missiles as it expands its weapons arsenal. (ANI)