Get Accustomed to Missile

North Korea again launched a ballistic missile over Japan to the Pacific Ocean early in the Friday morning. The mid-range ballistic missile, Hwasong12, flew 3,700 kilometers from Pyongyang, marking new record of flying distance of North Korean missile. It actually included Guam within its range. Ordinary life of Japanese people was suddenly thrown into confusion right after the missile launch was detected. The people are tired of the alert, murmuring “Enough is enough.”

One Hwasong-12 was launched from around Sunan district in Pyongyang at 6:57 a.m. It passed over Hokkaido, one of the four main islands of Japan, and touched down on Pacific Ocean, 2,200 east of Cape Erimo in Hokkaido at 7:16 a.m. It reached 800 kilometers of altitude, not taking lofted orbit. While last missile in August 29^th flew for 2,700 kilometers of distance, it is fair to say that North Korea showed further improvement of their missile technology.

When the missile was launched to the sky, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in flying in the sky with the governmental official aircraft on his way from India where he had a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreeing on further pressure on North Korea. “We cannot tolerate taking such a reckless activity again,” told Abe to the reporters as soon as arriving Prime Minister’s Official Residence on Friday. “It is required for international community to stand solid against dangerous intimidation of North Korea that threatens peace of the world.”

Japan, with United States and Republic of Korea, requested United Nations Security Council urgent meeting to discuss the North’s missile launch. Having no military option against the threat of the North, Japanese government reconfirmed with US and ROK the necessity of strict implementation of the last UNSC resolution that included limitation of oil export to North Korea.

A few minutes after the missile launch, every smart phone of the residents in Hokkaido automatically alerted to its owner of missile coming. Every TV program was halted and the screen turned to the Information for Protecting the People, which ordered them to hide themselves in a firm building or underground. Discord of phone alert sound frightened small children and mothers went along with their kids to the school. 222 public schools delayed schedule of the day.

A bullet train stopped for minutes after departing Shin-Hakodate Hokuto station to see what was happening. Sapporo City Subway also stopped its operation for a while. ANA Open Golf was suspended for forty minutes. Some people were frustrated with the governmental order, saying “Where is such a building around here surviving missile attacks?” However, the people look like getting accustomed to the missile alert.