The Japanese government, after being notified of the plan to launch a satellite rocket from North Korea, issued a ‘destruction order’ to the Self-Defense Forces. It announced its plan to intercept the missile while bearing in mind the possibility of falling into its own territory or territorial waters.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on the 29th, “We will establish a close cooperative system between the United States and Japan, and between Korea and the United States and Japan,” and “we will devote all our efforts to information collection and surveillance.” Japanese government spokesman, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, also held an emergency press conference on the same day and said, “We are aware that there is a possibility of passing through Japanese territory, including the Nansei Islands (near Okinawa).”
Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada issued an order for the Self-Defense Forces to intercept satellites if they fall in Japan. Previously, the Ministry of Defense deployed Patriot missiles to the islands of Miyako, Ishigaki, and Yonaguni in Okinawa Prefecture last month in preparation for North Korea’s launch of reconnaissance satellites. Japan has a Patriot missile unit in the island region of Okinawa Prefecture, recalling that North Korea fired rockets in 2012 and 2016 that passed over the vicinity of Okinawa Prefecture.
However, Japan’s NHK Broadcasting reported that “there are a total of three sea areas where (debris) are expected to fall, two in the West Sea and one in the East Sea of the Philippines, all of which are outside Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).”
Meanwhile, on the 28th (local time), a spokesperson for the US State Department said, “All launches by North Korea using ballistic missile technology, including space launch vehicles (SLVs) used to launch satellites into space, are UN security guarantees. It is a violation of the board resolution.” The State Department went on to say that “SLVs contain technologies that are the same as or interchangeable with those used by ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).” This means that North Korea’s satellite launch is subject to sanctions against North Korea as it uses ballistic missile technology banned by the UN Security Council.
The State Department said, “We urge North Korea to refrain from further illegal activities and urge North Korea to engage in serious and sustained diplomacy.”
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Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.