Japanese PM promptly reacts after N. Korea’s missile launch

Japanese PM promptly reacts after N. Korea’s missile launch. August. 30, 2017 08:31. peacechaos@donga.com,suyeon@donga.com. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe came to the office at 6:23 a.m. on Tuesday in less than 30 minutes after North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan and stood in front of the camera. The prime minister told reporters, “We will make utmost efforts to firmly protect the lives of the people and start to conduct a situation analysis immediately.”

The National Security Council (NSC) meeting was held at 7:08 a.m. under the chairmanship of the prime minister with the presence of Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera, and Foreign Minister Taro Kono and the meeting was lasted for 50 minutes. Abe met reporters again and said that the government had a grasp of the situation and called the missile launch as a violence against Japan. "Tokyo has lodged a firm protest with Pyongyang," the Japanese prime minister said. "The government has requested a UN Security Council meeting be convened immediately over the launch."

At 9:24 a.m., Abe discussed the latest provocation with U.S. President Donald Trump over the phone for 40 minutes and gave a briefing on the talk with Trump directly to reporters. He gave press briefings three times in the morning alone. “North Korea’s launch of a missile over the Japanese territory was an unprecedented, serious and grave threat,” Abe said. “It is certain that North Korea is not willing to engage in a dialogue. The missile launch made it clear that increased pressure is necessary. The government will do its best to protect the lives and assets of the people with a strong U.S.-Japan alliance.”