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North Korea sends missile soaring over Japan in escalation

Japan was forced to issue evacuation notices and suspend trains during the 2,800-mile flight of the nuclear-capable weapon.

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North Korea has conducted its longest-ever weapons test, a nuclear-capable ballistic missile that flew over Japan and could reach the US Pacific territory of Guam and beyond, forcing the Japanese government to issue evacuation alerts and halt trains.

The South Korean and US militaries responded by launching fighter jets which fired weapons at a target off South Korea’s west coast in a show of strength against North Korea.

The North Korean missile launch was its most provocative weapons demonstration this year, as it pushes to develop a fully fledged nuclear arsenal capable of threatening the US mainland and its allies with the goal of wresting concessions from those countries, some experts said.

The United States strongly condemned North Korea’s “dangerous and reckless decision” to launch what it described as a “long-range ballistic missile” over Japan.

“The United States will continue its efforts to limit (North Korea’s) ability to advance its prohibited ballistic missile and weapons of mass destruction programmes, including with allies and UN partners,” National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement.

Primary school pupils find shelter near a building on their way to school after reports of North Korea's missile launch
Primary school pupils find shelter near a building on their way to school after reports of North Korea’s missile launch (Toonippo/Kyodo News via AP)

The launch is the fifth round of weapons tests by North Korea in the past 10 days. The testing spree is an apparent response to two sets of military drills – one between Washington and Seoul and the other involving Washington, Seoul and Tokyo – off the Korean Peninsula’s east coast last week.

North Korea regards such drills involving the United States as an invasion rehearsal. It was expected to react strongly this time because both exercises involved a US aircraft carrier, which North Korea views as more provocative.

South Korea Koreas Tensions
A TV screen shows a news programme reporting the launch (Lee Jin-man/AP)

Trains were suspended in the Hokkaido and Aomori regions until the government issued a notice that the North Korean missile appeared to have landed in the Pacific.

In Sapporo city, the prefectural capital of Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido, underground rail services were also temporarily halted, with stations packed with morning commuters.

Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida told reporters the launch “is a reckless act and I strongly condemn it”.

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida
Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida condemned the launch as ‘a reckless act’ (Kyodo News/AP)

His military separately warned that North Korea’s repeated missile launches would deepen its international isolation and prompt Seoul and Washington to bolster their deterrence capacities.

Later on Tuesday, four US F-16 fighter jets and four South Korean F-15s conducted a joint strike drill in which one of the South Korean planes fired two precision-guided Joint Direct Attack Munition bombs into an island target.

The exercise was aimed at demonstrating the allies’ ability to accurately strike North Korean targets with “overwhelming force”, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

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