Japan’s coast guard said the missile landed about 210 kilometers from an island in northern Hokkaido. There were no reports of damage to ships or aircraft. “Of course we lodged a strong protest against North Korea, which has repeated its provocations with unprecedented frequency,” Kishida told reporters in Thailand, where he is attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. His remarks were broadcast live in Japan. “We have told (Pyongyang) that we absolutely cannot tolerate such actions,” Kishida said. “Japan, the US and South Korea must coordinate closely to work towards the complete denuclearization of North Korea.” The launch came a day after North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile, while it warned of “tougher military responses” to US efforts to bolster its security presence in the region with its allies, saying Washington was taking a “bet that would regret”. Japan’s defense ministry said in a statement on Friday that: “North Korea fired an ICBM-class ballistic missile from near the west coast of the Korean Peninsula at approximately 10:14 (01:14 GMT) today.” Seoul-based specialist website NK News reported that photos and videos taken from Pyongyang showed a white trail in the sky visible from the city. South Korea’s National Security Council met on Friday to discuss the suspected ICBM launch, the presidential office said. The launch was North Korea’s second ICBM test this month. Foreign experts said an ICBM launched by North Korea on Nov. 3 failed mid-flight. This test is believed to have involved a new type of developmental ICBM. North Korea has two other types of ICBMs – Hwasong-14 and Hwasong-15, and their test launches in 2017 proved that they could potentially reach parts of the US mainland. This year North Korea has conducted a record number of such tests, which are banned by UN Security Council resolutions that have sanctioned the country over its missile and nuclear weapons programs. The North has also fired hundreds of artillery shells into the sea recently as South Korea and the US staged drills, some of which involved Japan. The country had halted weapons launches for about a week before Thursday’s test, which was preceded by the North’s Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui threatening “tougher” military responses. Choe was referring to US President Joe Biden’s recent trilateral summit with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts on the sidelines of a regional gathering in Cambodia. In their joint statement, the three leaders strongly condemned North Korea’s recent missile tests and agreed to work together to strengthen deterrence. Biden reaffirmed the US commitment to defend South Korea and Japan with a full range of capabilities, including its nuclear weapons. On Thursday night, Kishida said he expressed “serious concerns” to Chinese President Xi Jinping about security issues, including North Korea, after the two leaders held their first face-to-face talks. “Regarding North Korea, I expressed our expectation that China will play a role, including in the UN Security Council.
