North Korea launches a provocative ballistic missile over Japan

An arms race and a challenge to Western powers. This is how many experts have defined the ballistic missile launched by North Korea that has put the Japanese Defence on alert as it flew over the country. A missile that has followed the same trajectory as the one launched in 2017, but with a longer range: 4,600 kilometres. A distance that normally forces the launch to take place into space so as not to overfly a neighbouring country. 

The North Korean projectile flew over Japanese territory, triggering a public alarm at 7.29am local time on the islands of Izu, Hokkaido and Aomori, in the north of the country. "North Korea appears to have launched a missile. Please seek shelter in buildings or underground," warned the emergency message, which also forced rail traffic to stop.

This flight was immediately considered one of the most provocative launched by Kim Jong-un's regime, for both practical and symbolic reasons. The missile could have endangered the main population areas inhabited by more than 8 million people, according to Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno.  

The missile eventually landed in the Pacific Ocean some 3,200 kilometres from the Japanese archipelago without causing any damage. However, the sending of this test and the violation of Japanese airspace have sparked the first condemnations of the Pyongyang regime.  

Japan's Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, has described it as a "barbaric act". South Korea's conservative President Yoon Suk has gone further, saying Pyongyang will meet with a "resolute response". "Such reckless provocations will be met with a response from the South Korean military, its allies and the international community," he added.

The United States, allies of Japan and South Korea, also condemned what it called a "dangerous and reckless" launch by North Korea, as defined in a call between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his South Korean and Japanese counterparts. 

"This action is destabilising and shows the DPRK's blatant disregard for United Nations Security Council resolutions and international security norms," said US National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson. 

This condemnation has not stopped at declarations. The response of the powers has taken the form of US and South Korean F-15K warplanes bombing a target in the Yellow Sea in a demonstration of precision strike capability against North Korean provocations.

For its part, Japan did not take steps to shoot down the missile, but Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada has said he would not rule out any options, including counter-attack capabilities.  

The North Korean ballistic missile launch comes amid a growing cycle of tension in the region. North Korea has carried out five launches in the last 10 days in what many observers see as Kim Jong-un's way of pressuring the United States and its allies to lift the international sanctions imposed on the country.

Tensions have also been heightened by joint drills conducted by the US, South Korea and Japan, as well as a visit to the region by US Vice President Kamala Harris, who accused Pyongyang of "undermining security". 

All eyes are now on the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China on 16 October, where North Korea is expected to make an even more significant defiant test, showing support for its Chinese partner and challenging opposing powers.