Japan on North Korea's Long-Range Cruise Missile Launch: "Threat to Regional Peace and Security"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] On the 13th, the Japanese government commented on North Korean media reports that North Korea successfully test-fired a new long-range cruise missile, stating, "If the missile launch with a 'navigation' (flight) range of 1500 km is true, it threatens the peace and security of the region surrounding Japan."

According to NHK on the same day, Kato Katsunobu, Chief Cabinet Secretary and spokesperson for the Japanese government, said at a press conference, "We will closely cooperate with South Korea and the United States to collect, analyze, and monitor necessary information."

He added, "Based on the National Defense Program Guidelines and the Mid-Term Defense Program, we will continue to strengthen our ability to protect our country's territory against all aerial threats and enhance our comprehensive missile defense capabilities."

The National Defense Program Guidelines are directives that show the level of defense capabilities the Japanese government plans to pursue over approximately ten years.

The Mid-Term Defense Program specifies the expected defense budget and the required quantity of defense equipment for the next five years based on the National Defense Program Guidelines.

Regarding whether the missile North Korea reportedly launched entered Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) or airspace, Kato said, "It has not been confirmed."

The Japanese Ministry of Defense is on high alert and hastening information analysis following reports of North Korea's successful test launch of a new long-range cruise missile.

A senior official from the Ministry of Defense told NHK on the same day, "We are currently verifying detailed information."

Another Japanese government official also said, "We are analyzing the information now," adding, "We are conducting analysis including whether the missile flew toward Japan."

NHK analyzed that North Korea strongly opposed the joint military exercises conducted last month by the U.S. and South Korean forces assuming a contingency on the Korean Peninsula, and emphasized that North Korea's policy to develop missiles remains unchanged, which is the background for this long-range cruise missile test launch.

According to NHK, officials from South Korea, the U.S., and Japan responsible for North Korean issues are scheduled to meet in Tokyo this week to exchange views on North Korea's denuclearization, highlighting the timing of the missile test launch ahead of the trilateral meeting of the senior representatives on North Korean nuclear issues in Tokyo.

▲Kato Katsunobu, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 12th, Noh Kyu-duk, Director of the Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who visited Japan at the invitation of the Japanese government, will discuss trilateral cooperation measures to resolve North Korean nuclear issues with Funakoshi Takehiro, Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Sung Kim, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea, on the 14th.

Nagaiwa Toshimichi, former Commander of the Air Self-Defense Force, said in an interview with NHK, "Unlike ballistic missiles, there is insufficient information about North Korea's cruise missiles, making it difficult to evaluate their credibility."

However, he expressed the view that if the missile can fly 1500 km as North Korea claims, it would have 'stand-off attack capability,' meaning it can reach Tokyo and attack important targets with pinpoint accuracy from outside the opponent's threat range, making it tactically effective.

He emphasized that cruise missiles generally fly at slower speeds but fly at very low altitudes and have precise guidance, making radar detection difficult and thus posing a threat, stressing that analyzing the performance of the missile North Korea reportedly launched is an urgent task.

Kyodo News, citing the Korean Central News Agency, reported the test launch of North Korea's new long-range cruise missile as breaking news and pointed out that North Korea maintains its policy of continuously securing various means of attack and expanding its capabilities.

Kyodo stated, "At the Workers' Party of Korea Congress in January this year, North Korea announced its policy to develop various nuclear attack means and showed its determination to steadily pursue this," adding, "If the 1500 km flight is true, most of Japan falls within range."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.