North Korea Trying to Amplify Provocation With Missile Tests, Japanese Defence Minister Says
06:59 GMT 31.01.2022 (Updated: 13:37 GMT 18.09.2023)
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TOKYO (Sputnik) - Japanese Minister of Defence Nobuo Kishi said on Monday that North Korea's latest missile tests are aimed at steadily increasing the "level of provocations" internationally.
Sunday's launch of a Hwasong-12 missile, which had a range of 4,500 kilometres (2,796 miles), is North Korea's longest-range missile test since the test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile in November 2017.
"Undoubtedly, North Korea seeks to further improve missile technologies and their operational capabilities, including the practical use of long-range ballistic missiles, as well as unilaterally increase the level of provocations of the international community. This is absolutely unacceptable", Kishi said during a press conference.
The Sunday launch was North Korea's seventh since the start of 2022.
According to the South Korean military, the Hwasong-12 missile was fired from North Korea's Jagang Province toward the Sea of Japan on Sunday and flew about 800 kilometres (497 miles) with the maximum altitude reaching 2,000 kilometres (1,243 miles).
© REUTERS / KCNAIntercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong-14 is pictured during its second test-fire in this undated picture provided by KCNA in Pyongyang on July 29, 2017
Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong-14 is pictured during its second test-fire in this undated picture provided by KCNA in Pyongyang on July 29, 2017
© REUTERS / KCNA
The same estimates were given by Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, who said that the missile fell outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone after around 30 minutes. The US Indo-Pacific Command said shortly after the Sunday test-firing that it posed no immediate threat to the US and its allies.