Japan: "Two suspected North Korean ballistic missiles launched... Fell outside EEZ"

Launch Occurred Just Before Kim Jong-un-Putin Meeting
Japanese Cabinet Office: "No Damage Information from Launch"

The Japanese government announced on the 13th that North Korea fired two objects suspected to be ballistic missiles, both of which appeared to have fallen outside the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This is interpreted as North Korea demonstrating military force amid the summit between North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

According to NHK and other sources, Japan's Ministry of Defense and the Japan Coast Guard announced that two ballistic missiles were launched eastward near North Korea's western coast at around 11:41 a.m. and 11:51 a.m. on the same day.

The Japanese government explained that the first ballistic missile flew approximately 350 km with a maximum altitude of 50 km, while the second missile flew about 650 km with a maximum altitude of 50 km.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ordered thorough intelligence gathering immediately after North Korea's missile launches, instructed to inform the public, and to ensure the safety of aircraft and ships.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno stated that Japan lodged a stern protest with North Korea via Beijing, China, and that there is no information on any damage caused by the launches so far. Matsuno added that there are currently no plans to hold a National Security Council (NSC) meeting.

Meanwhile, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff also announced that North Korea fired ballistic missiles into the East Sea. The Joint Chiefs stated, "Between approximately 11:43 a.m. and 11:53 a.m., two short-range ballistic missiles were detected launched from the Sunan area toward the East Sea."

This is the first time in 14 days that North Korea has launched ballistic missiles since firing two short-range ballistic missiles on the 30th of last month. The missile launches occurred just before the summit between North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia.

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