Japan defends canceled missile alert

The Japanese government defended a canceled North Korea missile alert that resulted in millions of residents taking cover from potential missile debris. The potential missile debris likely fell into the sea, which Tokyo reiterated the importance of the safety of the residents.

On Thursday, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters during a media briefing that the canceled missile alert was not a mistake. The alert was 8 a.m. local time, which triggered sirens in Hokkaido and sent automated messages to its residents through its J-Alert system, urging its population of five million to take cover after North Korea fired a ballistic missile. Officials turned off the alarm by 8:16 after receiving further information on the missile’s trajectory, with the Japanese coast guard saying that the missile landed in the water at 8:19.

“The projectile disappeared immediately after detection, but the limited information we had, indicated it could fall within the vicinity of Hokkaido, and people’s safety is our priority,” said Matsuno.

The country’s missile alert system has come under scrutiny since November when portions of central and northern Japan were alerted of a North Korean missile that was expected to fly over the Japanese islands. The projectile fell into the sea before it reached Japan.

An official from the FDMA said the agency is in charge of making sure the J-alert system functions properly. The official added that the Cabinet Secretariat decides whether to issue the alert. Cabinet Secretariat official Wataru Ishida said that their decision and analysis depend on the assessment by the defense ministry.

On Friday, the Japanese and South Korean foreign ministries said the two countries would be holding their first security talks in Seoul. This marks the first security talks between the two countries since 2018. The talks between Japanese and South Korean defense and diplomatic officials will include the topics such as the strategic environments between Japan and South Korea.

The talks come amidst the threats posed by North Korea as Pyongyang continues to advance its nuclear and missile programs, with the isolated nation firing a record number of missiles in recent years.