Japan: N Korea rocket launch regrettable

Rappler.com

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Japan calls on the UN Security Council to make an "appropriate response" to North Korea's failed rocket launch.

TOKYO, Japan – Japan expressed concern about North Korea’s decision to push through with its rocket launch and will call for a response from the United Nations Security Council.

Noriyuku Shikata, spokesman for Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, told CNN that Japan wants the UN Security Council to make an “appropriate response” to the rocket launch.

“We think it’s a regrettable development and we have been saying that the launch by North Korea is in violation of UN Security Council resolutions so we are now engaged with the international partners to discuss this issue at the United Nations Security Council.”

In defiance of international warnings, Pyongyang launched its rocket on Friday morning. Japan, the US, and South Korea however said the rocket failed shortly after take-off.

“At around 7:40 in the morning Tokyo time, North Korea launched some kind of a flying object and it flew about minutes and flew into the ocean so we have not identified any negative impact or damages in Japan so far as we have been analyzing the situation,” Shikata said.

North Korea has said that the rocket is intended to put a weather satellite into orbit. Washington and other countries however suspected that the launch is a cover for testing a long-range ballistic missile, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.  

The UN Security Council called an emergency session on Friday, April 13. Shikata said it was Japan that asked the US to convene the meeting after North Korea launched the rocket. The US is the chair of the Security Council this month.

“As we have been saying this is in violation of relevant Security Council resolutions and we think that the UN Security Council should take an appropriate response under the circumstances,” Shikata said.

Shikata said Japan, the US, South Korea are closely in touch with one another. The countries are working to collect information and determine their response to the rocket launch.

Japan had threatened to shoot down the rocket if it strayed into Japanese territory. – Rappler.com 

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