PM Abe: Japan Will Take ‘Specific Action to Deter North Korea’ After Missile Test

In the wake of North Korea’s latest missile test, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said North Korea is “a top priority for the international community,” and his country would work with the United States to “take specific action to deter” the outlaw regime.

“North Korea’s provocation by ignoring repeated warnings from international society is absolutely unacceptable,” Abe said.

North Korea’s launch on Monday appeared to involve a short-range weapon similar to the Russian-built Scud missile. It flew about 450 miles over the course of six minutes and landed within Japan’s exclusive economic zone in the Sea of Japan.

Although this was less impressive than some of Pyongyang’s other missile tests, North Korean media boasted that the missile was a new system “capable of making ultra-precision strikes on the enemies’ objects at any area.”

Dictator Kim Jong-un also promised a bigger “gift package” would soon be sent to the “Yankees.”

The North Koreans claim the missile tested on Monday could be fired by a mobile launching system, which is a possibility that disturbs American, South Korean, and Japanese defense analysts.

The Associated Press theorizes that North Korea wasn’t testing new technology with the Scud launch, but rather was making a geopolitical statement of defiance against international sanctions and demonstrating an ability to hit Japan, South Korea, and U.S. forces stationed in those countries with the weapons it already has on hand.

President Donald Trump added that North Korea’s latest missile launch also showed “great disrespect for their neighbor China.”