The Japanese government activated its emergency alert system early on Wednesday morning local time after North Korea appeared to launch what the government suspected could be a ballistic missile.
“North Korea has launched a suspected ballistic missile,” the Japanese prime minister’s office said. “PM’s instructions: 1. Dedicate maximum effort to gather & analyze information, & provide the public speedy & adequate information. 2. Ensure the safety of aircraft, vessels, & other assets. 3. Take all possible measures for precaution, incl. readiness for contingencies.”
PM’s instructions (06:32)
1. Dedicate maximum effort to gather & analyze information, & provide the public speedy & adequate information.
2. Ensure the safety of aircraft, vessels, & other assets.
3. Take all possible measures for precaution, incl. readiness for contingencies.
— PM's Office of Japan (@JPN_PMO) May 30, 2023
Japan alerted those living in the southern region of Okinawa to “please take shelters inside buildings or underground.”
About half an hour after the alert, the government canceled the alert, writing: “It is expected that the missile reported earlier will not come to Japan.”
#UPDATE Some 30 minutes after the warning, Japan's government tweets that the alert was cancelled. "It is expected that the missile reported earlier will not come to Japan," it said.
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) May 30, 2023
The news comes after Japan signaled at the start of the week that it will begin shooting down missiles fired into its territory.
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“We will take destructive measures against ballistic and other missiles that are confirmed to land in our territory,” Japan’s Defense Ministry said in a statement.
Missile launches are becoming increasingly common from North Korea as dictator Kim Jong Un likes to engage in frequent saber rattling.
North Korea launched two ballistic missiles into the waters off the Korean Peninsula back in late March, according to CNN, just as the U.S. and South Korea were conducting their largest joint military exercises in the region since 2017.