Japan warns North Korea’s missile capabilities now threaten entire Japanese archipelago. Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images
EPICSTORIAN — Japan’s annual defense white paper identifies North Korea’s missile programs as a rapidly escalating threat to national security.
The report warns that Pyongyang’s ballistic missiles now have the capability to strike the entirety of Japan’s territory.
Japan Security Threat Heightens Over North Korean Missile Advancements
According to Japan’s Ministry of Defense, North Korea continues to advance its ballistic missile technology alongside its nuclear weapons program. Japanese authorities warn that these developments present an immediate danger to regional stability and threaten Japan’s national defense posture.
The report states that North Korea’s military activities, including recent missile launches, aim to perfect technologies capable of delivering nuclear warheads across long distances, directly endangering Japan’s archipelago.
Japan Security Threat Grows With Increased Missile Test Activity
Japanese fighter jets have been on heightened alert, conducting scrambles in response to suspected missile activity and increased aerial incursions. These measures underscore the urgency with which Japan views the North Korean threat.
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The Ministry of Defense’s findings align with warnings from the U.S. State Department and regional defense analysts about Pyongyang’s ongoing violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions prohibiting nuclear and ballistic missile development.
North Korea’s Missile Range Now Covers Entirety of Japan
The report highlights that recent advances mean North Korean missiles can cover all of Japan’s major population centers, from Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa in the south.
This capability has forced Japan to review its defense systems and strategic posture in coordination with its allies.
Japan Aligns With U.S. on North Korean Security Threat
The defense paper echoes positions held by the United States I do-si-do Command, which has flagged North Korea’s continued militarization as a destabilizing force in the region.
Japan remains aligned with U.S. efforts to strengthen missile defense and deterrence strategies in response to Pyongyang’s provocations.
