South Koreans have gotten used to it. But it’s a totally different game to the Japanese. During the World War II, terrified people would rush for cover as blaring sirens signalled incoming Imperial Japanese Army’s bombardment. Now, the role is reversed. Millions of terrified Japanese were rudely awaken to take cover as sirens were set off to indicate incoming North Korea’s missile.
As expected, the defiant Kim Jong-un has just fired an intermediate-range missile – for the second time – over Japan, and subsequently into the northern Pacific Ocean. Yoichi Takahashi, 57, a fisheries official in Kushiro on Hokkaido, said – “It’s really scary. The government tells us to flee to stable buildings but we can’t do that quickly. Our colleagues offshore can never take cover.”
Train services between Japan’s main island and Hokkaido were temporarily suspended after the launch and bullet train services were also halted. Television programmes across Japan were flashed with warning message of the missile while mobile carriers sent automatic text messages or SMS alerting customers of the event.
On Friday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed the missile travelled about 3,700 kilometres (2,300 miles) and reached a maximum height of 770 kilometres (478 miles). That’s 37% more powerful than the last one, which was launched less than a month ago on 28th August and travelled 2,700-km (1,677 miles) at maximum altitude of 550-km (341 miles).
It appears that Fatboy Kim has made good on his threats to use nuclear weapons to “sink” Japan and reduce the United States to “ashes and darkness”. Prior to lobbing the second missile over Japan, North Korea singled out Japan for “dancing to the tune” of the U.S., while calling neighbour South Korea as “traitors and dogs” of America.
Effectively, this would be the 19th ballistic missile launched by North Korea this year, right after the hermit kingdom conducted its 6th and most powerful nuclear test on September 3. Analysts believe the new test was of the same intermediate-range missile launched in that earlier flight – the Hwasong-12. Like the first test, the second test carries a significant message.
Joseph Dempsey of the International Institute for Strategic Studies said on Twitter – “At 3,700-km, this is the furthest (overground) any of their ballistic missiles has ever travelled though. Physicist David Wright, of the Union of Concerned Scientists, added – “North Korea demonstrated that it could reach Guam with this missile, although the payload the missile was carrying is not known” and its accuracy was in doubt.
Obviously, Dictator Kim’s goal was to demonstrate that North Korea is entering the “Nuclear Club”, whether President Trump likes it or not. More importantly, Mr. Kim has now proven to Mr. Trump, and the world for that matter, that he has the ability to strike Guam, which is merely 3,380-km (2,100 miles) between the North Korean capital and the American air base.
Jim Mattis, U.S. Defence Secretary, called the latest missile launch a reckless act and “put millions of Japanese in duck and cover.” The launch also prompted U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to demand China and Russia take “direct actions” against Pyongyang, saying – “China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own.”
Isamu Oya, 67, a sushi restaurant owner in Erimo, Hokkaido said – “The government told us to take cover in a stable building or underground, but there isn’t one here. We have no choice but just do nothing. Scary? Yes, but we can’t help it.” Another Japanese, Yoshihiro Saito, said “I cannot say that we are used to this. I mean, the missile flew right above our town. It’s not a very comforting thing to hear.”
While millions of Japanese were jolted with shock after the second missile flew over their head, some residents in Japan have reacted angrily. Ken Kato, a Tokyo-based human rights activist, exploded – “Japanese people have not been subjected to this kind of threat since the end of the war more than 70 years ago.”
Unlike the first round of test by North Korea, this time South Korea’s military immediately carried out a ballistic missile drill of its own. South Korea’s Hyunmu missile travelled 250 kilometres (155 miles) into the East Sea, a trajectory intentionally chosen to represent the distance to the launch site at Sunan, North Korea. Embarrassingly, however, a second missile failed after being fired.
North Korea, protected by China and Russia, would most likely continue with more missile tests – only more powerful – to prove that even homeland of United States could be hit. South Korean experts said North Korea wants to make missiles flying over Japan an accepted norm as it seeks to win more military space in a region dominated by its enemies.
Besides accuracy tests, the two launches (and more to come) over Japan suggest North Korea is moving toward using angles close to operational to determine whether its warheads can survive the harsh conditions of atmospheric re-entry and detonate properly. 2017 has been a year of rapid progress for North Korea’s missile program.
Less than 6 years into his reign, Kim Jong-un has tested more missiles than his father and grandfather combined. Prior to the latest Friday’s launch, North Korea has fired 21 missiles during 14 tests since February this year alone. Trump’s (empty) military strike threat and multiple U.N. sanctions have contributed nothing but accelerate North Korea’s entry to the “Nuclear Club.”
Other Articles That May Interest You …
- Putin Lectures Trump – It’s Impossible To Scare Kim, You Can’t Intimidate Him
- Kim Gives Trump The Middle Finger – And There’s Nothing The U.S. President Can Do
- Here’s Proof China Calls The Shot – U.S. Scales Down War Games In Korea
- China Has Spoken – If US-South Korea Strikes North Korea, We Will Defend Kim
- Nothing To See Here – U.S. Aircraft Carriers Vinson & Reagan Going Back Home
- How China Brilliantly Uses North Korea To Get What They Want From Trump
- Relax Mr. Kim, Here’s Why China Will Not Allow U.S. Attacks North Korea
- Here Are Russia’s 3 Awesome Weapons Which The U.S. Is Absolutely Terrified Of
- “War Message” To Japan And US!! – China Sends 40 Fighter Jets & Bombers To Okinawa
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September 15th, 2017 by financetwitter
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