North Korea missile warning in Japan: Another malfunction
Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
The government of Japan issued an emergency warning to people in the prefectures of Miyagi and Yamagata. Announcements on television specified that a North Korean missile was approaching Japan. Therefore, with air raid sirens going off, many individuals felt frightened.
However, it transpires that it is another malfunction. Thus inaccurate information by the government of Japan. Therefore, people will soon have little faith in the detection system of Japan.
The BBC reports, “At 07:50, air raid sirens went off across Miyagi and Yamagata prefectures and TV programs were interrupted to tell people to take shelter. The Japanese coast guard said a missile fired from North Korea was heading over Japan. They later retracted the statement saying instead the missile splashed down in the Sea of Japan without crossing Japanese territory.”
Kyodo News says, “The Japanese government had initially issued a J-Alert warning that the first missile launched by North Korea would fly over the main island of Honshu, but it later corrected the announcement, saying the projectile had disappeared from radar over the Sea of Japan.”
South Korea and the United States are holding major military exercises. These military exercises are aimed at North Korea – in the worst-case scenario – and are deemed provocative by North Korea. Similar to political leaders in America upping the ante concerning Taiwan – that led to China launching its military close to the environs of Taiwan.
In early October, Hirokazu Matsuno, the Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan, said, “We apologize for causing concern to residents in the nine towns and villages… We will promptly improve the problem in the system and work to prevent a recurrence.”
Thus people panicked in towns and villages that were far from the path of the North Korean ballistic missile last month. However, one month later and yet another malfunction of the early warning system. Therefore, why is the Japanese system so bad?
President Joe Biden of America is encouraging Japan to take a more assertive approach to China and the Russian Federation. America is also behind a fresh arms race in Northeast Asia. Therefore, North Korea is intent on modernizing its military potential.
Modern Tokyo Times recently said, “The questions for Japan are (1) does the country feel better protected by involving itself in Taiwan and Ukraine concerning pro-America objectives and adopting anti-China and anti-Russian Federation policies – (2) also, does Japan feel more secure with China, North Korea, and the Russian Federation enhancing certain angles to their military capabilities because of the fear of America – for example, nuclear weapons and hypersonic weapons – (3) or would Japan feel more secure if the nation remained close to America but adopted policies to reach out to China, North Korea, and the Russian Federation?”
North Korea’s testing of military missiles over any nation is dangerous and provocative. Hence, North Korea should desist from such provocations.
It also plays into the hands of militarists in America, Japan, and South Korea that seek to utilize the ongoing divisions on the Korean Peninsula. Just like America and Japan are increasingly involving themselves in the China and Taiwan issue.
America should stop provoking regional nations and encouraging a military arms race. This also applies to Europe and the Middle East: where America meddles to the detriment of both regions.
The fear is that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan is intent on doubling the military budget – and he will continue to take a hardline approach at any given opportunity.
North Korea also needs to respect the airspace of Japan and foster better relations. After all, the zero-sum approach only leads to more animosity and the militarization of Northeast Asia.
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