Hirokazu Matsuno
Japan warned Wednesday that North Korea’s launch of a ballistic missile violated UN Security Council resolutions following what Pyongyang said was a failed satellite launch.
Japanese government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno said, “As a ballistic missile launch like this one violates relevant UN Security Council resolutions, Japan firmly protested against North Korea and strongly condemned the launch”.
The hermit state announced on Tuesday that it planned to launch a military reconnaissance satellite before June 11, having informed Japan of its plans a day earlier.
Because long-range rockets and space launchers employ the same technology, researchers believe Pyongyang would gain cover for testing banned intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) by obtaining the ability to place a satellite in orbit.
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Japan’s Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada told the media, “We cannot tolerate this kind of launch whether it is a satellite or anything else, because it violates UN resolutions”.
On Wednesday morning, Japan briefly triggered its missile alert warning system for the southern Okinawa zone.
However, North Korean state media said that the satellite had crashed into the sea shortly after launch due to an accident during its flight.
Matsuno stated that the government assumed the projectile disappeared in the air above the Yellow Sea and that no object was launched into outer space.
Fumio Kishida, Japanese Prime Minister said earlier Wednesday that North Korea had launched what appears to be a ballistic missile but that there had been no reports of damage.
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