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Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida / Reuters, Yonhap News

The Japanese government issued an additional statement strongly protesting North Korea's launch of around 10 short-range ballistic missiles from the Pyongyang area into the East Sea, calling it a violation of UN resolutions.

According to NHK, Kyodo News, and the Asahi Shimbun on August 21, the Japanese government pointed out in a statement on this day that "while there has been no harm to the safety of our citizens, repeated ballistic missile launches violate UN Security Council resolutions and threaten the peace and security of the international community." It also emphasized that it would "respond to North Korea's repeated provocations in cooperation with the entire international community."

Japan's Ministry of Defense announced on this day that the missiles fired by North Korea on the afternoon of the previous day reached a maximum altitude of about 90 kilometers and a flight distance of about 320 kilometers before falling outside Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). It confirmed that there was no direct damage to the safety of citizens, including aircraft and vessels.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed relevant ministries and agencies to provide prompt and accurate information to the public, verify the safety of aircraft and vessels, and maintain a state of readiness for unforeseen developments.

The Japanese government set up a task force at the Crisis Management Center in the Prime Minister's Official Residence, convened an emergency staff meeting, and is continuing further analysis in close cooperation with the U.S. and South Korea.

Diplomatically, the Japanese government conveyed a direct protest message to North Korea through the Japanese Embassy in Beijing. In doing so, it explicitly pointed out that North Korea's repeated missile launches constitute a violation of UN Security Council resolutions.

Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that "North Korea's actions seriously threaten the peace and security of the international community," adding that it will strengthen coordination with the international community.

Earlier, the Japanese government released an immediate statement right after North Korea's missile launch the previous day, announcing that "the missiles fell outside Japan's EEZ and there is no damage to the safety of our citizens."

                                                                                                             Park Jin-sook