North Korea drags Japan into tussle over United States anti-missile system

Pyongyang’s latest missile launch for the first time landed in Japanese-controlled waters in the Sea of Japan (East Sea), 155 miles (250 kilometers) off Japan’s northern coast and within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The report was confirmed by Euan Graham, British diplomat stationed in Pyongyang, which is considered the first missile launch from North Korea to ever hit Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

South Korean and Japanese officials said a medium-range ballistic missile fired Wednesday flew about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) and landed near Japan’s territorial waters, one of the longest flights by a North Korean missile.

“Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had a grim look at a press conference on the day when he said: “[The launch] poses a grave threat to our national security.

North Korea fired two intermediate-range missiles simultaneously, but one appeared to explode on take-off, according to the United States military.

Pyongyang has called the THAAD battery “vicious warmongering” and has threatened a nuclear strike against the site.

But China’s U.N. Ambassador, Liu Jieyi, said nothing should be done to exacerbate tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Since its fourth nuclear test, North Korea has claimed a series of technical breakthroughs for its weapons programme.

While the global community has been unanimous in the condemnation of the North’s actions, top NK diplomat to the United States Han Son Ryol stated that the Communist regime’s launch of the ballistic missiles is an act of self-defense. North Korea called the system a provocation that it says is only aimed at bolstering US military hegemony in the region. Some civilian experts, however, believe the North has the technology to put warheads on shorter-range missiles that can strike South Korea and Japan.

The progress North Korea is making might embolden the regime and encourage it to take even more incendiary action, Tokyo said in its annual defence white paper released Tuesday.

Mr Shawn Ho, an associate research fellow with the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said North Korea made a “calculated strategic move”. North Korea has been hit by five sets of United Nations sanctions since it first tested an atomic device in 2006.

And tensions on the divided Korean peninsula are also building up ahead of a large-scale South Korea-US military exercise that begins on August 22 and involves tens of thousands of troops. Some analysts speculate that Pyongyang can hit the U.S. Pacific Northwest with missiles it now possesses – but that is speculation. Now the United States maintains approximately 28,500 troops in South Korea.

Britain’s deputy United Nations ambassador Peter Wilson said as he headed into the emergency council meeting they were concerned that it was the first time a North Korean missile had landed in Japan’s EEZ.

But analysts expect North Korea to continue with missile launches and other provocations over the next few weeks, as South Korea and the United States prepare for another round of joint military exercises.