(Provisional translation by an external company for reference purpose only)
North Korea launched ballistic missiles at around 5:04 p.m., Japan time. The details are currently being analyzed in close cooperation between Japan, the U.S., and the Republic of Korea (ROK). It is estimated that the ballistic missiles fell outside our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Sea of Japan. We immediately informed the Prime Minister of this incident. In response, the Prime Minister issued the following three instructions: 1. dedicate maximum effort to gather and analyze information, and provide the public with information in a timely and appropriate manner, 2. ensure the safety of aircraft, vessels, and other assets, and 3. take all possible measures for precaution, including readiness for contingencies. At the Ministry of Defense (MOD), in response to the Prime Minister’s instructions, I issued the following two instructions from the Minister of Defense through the Private Secretary: 1. make every effort to gather and analyze information in close cooperation with the U.S., the ROK, and other countries, and 2. continue to take all possible measures to conduct surveillance in readiness for the occurrence of contingencies. At this stage, there are no reports of damage from aircraft or vessels. In Tokyo, State Defense Minister Miyazaki is leading the response to this incident. The series of actions by North Korea, including the repeated launches of ballistic missiles to date, threaten the peace and security of Japan, the region, and the international community. Furthermore, such ballistic missile launches violate the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and are a serious issue that concerns the safety of Japanese citizens. Regarding today’s launch, Japan has lodged a strong protest against North Korea through the embassy route in Beijing and strongly condemned it. To resolutely protect the lives and property of Japanese citizens, the MOD will continue to cooperate closely with the U.S., the ROK, and other countries, and will make every effort to gather and analyze information and to conduct surveillance.