The Japanese government has determined that the ballistic missile launched by North Korea on Wednesday did not pose a threat to Japan.
A Defense Ministry official told NHK that the missile launch appears to have had no impact on Japanese territory.
Earlier that day, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that North Korea fired several projectiles—believed to be short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs)—from the Junghwa area in North Hwanghae Province toward the northeast at approximately 8:10 a.m. (South Korea time).
This marks North Korea’s first ballistic missile test in over five months, with the last launch occurring on May 8 when they fired a 600mm (about 24 inches) multiple rocket launcher and a Hwasong-11 tactical ballistic missile into the East Sea.
NHK noted that the timing of this launch appears to coincide with the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, during which U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to visit South Korea. The missile test seems designed to draw attention to the situation on the Korean Peninsula.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi informed reporters at 9:30 a.m. that she had adjusted her schedule to receive briefings following South Korea’s announcement of the missile launch.
Takaichi emphasized that Japan, the U.S., and South Korea are working closely together to ensure a robust response, including the real-time sharing of missile alert data. She assured that the government is closely monitoring the situation.
The Prime Minister confirmed that no missiles had entered Japanese territorial waters or its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), and no damage reports had been received from the relevant agencies. She directed the Defense Minister and Foreign Minister to continue gathering and analyzing intelligence to safeguard public safety.