North Korean missile flies over Japan for first time in five years

Tokyo: North Korea Tuesday fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) over Japan for the first time since 2017, prompting a rare warning by the Japanese government for residents to seek shelter. 

North Korea has fired a suspected missile over Japan, in what appears to be a deliberate escalation to get the attention of Tokyo and Washington. 

The missile was detected by the Japanese coast guard and South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, prompted alert sirens in northern Japan with residents advised to take cover.  

Train services in the northeastern Hokkaido and Aomori regions were suspended temporarily. 

As per Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada the weapon, believed to be a Hwasong-12 IRBM, travelled about 4,500km (2,800 miles) — the longest distance ever traveled by a North Korean missile — before falling into the Pacific Ocean.

Launched from the north of the country near the border with China, the missile was in the air for about 22 minutes.

It is the first North Korean missile launch over Japan in five years and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida condemned what he called a “barbaric” act. 

The nuclear armed country has conducted a flurry of missile tests at an unprecedented pace this year, conducting launches five times and firing off a total of eight missiles since September 25.  

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, meanwhile, warned of a resolute response following the launch, according to a statement from the presidential office.

Both leaders convened emergency meetings of their respective national security councils.

While Tokyo said it had taken no steps to shoot the missile down, Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada said it had not ruled out any options, including counterattack capabilities.

The launch comes as Japan, the US and South Korea have been working together to strengthen their defences, in response to the growing threat posed by the North. Last week, the three countries held a naval exercise. 

Following the last joint exercise in 2017, North Korea fired missiles over Japan in response. A week later, it conducted a nuclear test. And recent intelligence has suggested that North Korea is getting ready to test another nuclear weapon. 

In the meantime, the US National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson called it a "dangerous and reckless decision" that was "destabilising" to the region.

–With additional input from News Agencies