North Korea launched a ballistic missile over Japan on the 4th.
The government believes that North Korea may take further provocative actions in the future, including conducting nuclear tests, and plans to strengthen vigilance and surveillance in cooperation with the United States and other countries.
It is estimated that the ballistic missile launched by North Korea on the 4th passed over Aomori Prefecture, flew about 4,600 kilometers, and fell outside Japan's EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone).
It was the first time since September 2017 that a North Korean ballistic missile passed over Japan, and the flight distance from the launch point to the landing point is believed to be the longest ever.
In response, Prime Minister Kishida held a telephone conversation with U.S. President Biden on the evening of the 4th, strongly condemning the launch and confirmed the policy of further strengthening the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance. did.
After the meeting, Prime Minister Kishida said, "I would like to send out a strong message while cooperating with the countries concerned, such as through various efforts at the United Nations."
Given the high frequency of North Korea's repeated missile launches, the government believes that there is a possibility that North Korea will take further provocative actions, including conducting nuclear tests. It is a policy of taking all possible measures.
Furthermore, bearing in mind that North Korea is improving its nuclear and missile technology, we are working to drastically strengthen our defense capabilities, including the possession of so-called "counterattack capabilities" to deal with ballistic missiles.