North Korea Fires Missile over Japan
DigitalGlobe satellite image thought to show missile launch pad at Musudan-ni, northeast coastal region of North Korea, 27 Mar 2009 North Korea defied demands from Japan, South Korea and the United States not to go ahead with a planned launch of what Pyongyang said would carry into space an experimental communications satellite.
The United States says North Korea launched a Taepodong- 2 missile which flew into the Pacific Ocean over northern Japan. North Korea defied demands from Japan, South Korea and the United States not to go ahead with a planned launch of what Pyongyang said would carry into space an experimental communications satellite.The United States says North Korea launched a Taepodong- 2 missile which flew into the Pacific Ocean over northern Japan. Japan says no debris has apparently fallen on its territory after what it calls a provocative rocket launch. Japan has called for an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council later in the day to discuss the event, which it and others say violates a U.N. resolution. The Japanese government, which had gone on high alert in case any debris fell on its territory, says the first stage of the rocket fell into the Sea of Japan 13 minutes after the launch at 11:30 a.m. local time about 280 kilometers off Japan's western shore. The booster stage dropped in the western Pacific Ocean nearly 1,300 miles east of Japan.
Taro Aso Japan's Defense Ministry says its forces made no attempt to shoot down the rocket as it flew over two northern prefectures -- Akita and Iwate.
Shortly after Japan confirmed the launch, Prime Minister Taro Aso briefly spoke to reporters. Mr. Aso says he has instructed authorities to make sure no debris had harmed any person or property in the country. Japan joined South Korea and the United States in calling the launch a provocative act.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Nakamura calls North Korea's action "extremely regrettable." Nakamura says whether North Korea was placing a satellite into space, as it claimed, or was indeed testing a missile, the launch violates a United Nations Security Council resolution forbidding Pyongyang from further ballistic missile development.
Nakamura, the top government spokesman, says Japan is prepared to extend economic sanctions by one year against North Korea. The sanctions, which are due to expire next week, followed a previous North Korean ballistic missile firing and a nuclear test, both in 2006.
Japan's Foreign Ministry says a protest has been sent to Pyongyang by way of the Chinese government. Japan and North Korea have no diplomatic relations. Japan's Defense Ministry says its forces made no attempt to shoot down the rocket as it flew over two northern prefectures -- Akita and Iwate.Shortly after Japan confirmed the launch, Prime Minister Taro Aso briefly spoke to reporters. Mr. Aso says he has instructed authorities to make sure no debris had harmed any person or property in the country. Japan joined South Korea and the United States in calling the launch a provocative act.Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Nakamura calls North Korea's action "extremely regrettable." Nakamura says whether North Korea was placing a satellite into space, as it claimed, or was indeed testing a missile, the launch violates a United Nations Security Council resolution forbidding Pyongyang from further ballistic missile development.Nakamura, the top government spokesman, says Japan is prepared to extend economic sanctions by one year against North Korea. The sanctions, which are due to expire next week, followed a previous North Korean ballistic missile firing and a nuclear test, both in 2006.Japan's Foreign Ministry says a protest has been sent to Pyongyang by way of the Chinese government. Japan and North Korea have no diplomatic relations.
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Despite international appeals, North Korea has gone ahead with a long publicised rocket launch. Authorities from the United States, Japan, and South Korea confirm that the rocket lifted off at 11.32 local time (02.32 GMT) on Sunday April 5, 2009.

"A short time ago a flying object appeared to have been launched from North Korea," read a statement by the Japanese government. The rocket seems to have passed over the Japanese capital of Tokyo and headed over the Pacific Ocean. Two parts of the rocket, the first and second stages, fell either side of the Japanese home islands, falling into the Sea of Japan and the Pacific.

A statement by the North Korean official news agency said that the rocket had successfully launched a satellite which is now broadcasting "data" and North Korean propaganda songs. A South Korean source told the South Korean Yonhap news agency that the rocket did appear to be carrying a satellite. The North Korean statement calls the rocket Unha-2 ("Galaxy-2") and the satellite Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2 ("Lodestar 2").

However, the US Northern Command stated that the launch of the rocket failed, and that the payload and second stage have fallen into the Pacific Ocean.

President Obama of the United States condemned the launch as "provocative" and stated that "North Korea has ignored its international obligations...and further isolated itself from the community of nations." America, Japan and South Korea will discuss the launch at an emergency UN Security Council meeting at 15:00 EDT (1900 GMT).

Pyongyang's one ally, China, has called for "restraint" on all sides. Both China and fellow veto power Russia oppose further sanctions on North Korea.

Resolution 1718 enacted in the wake of a stated 2006 nuclear weapons test bans North Korea from missile development. North Korea claims that the rocket is a launch vehicle to orbit a satellite, however its neighbours suggest that this is simply a cover for a long-range missile test, a missile that could potentially hit Alaska and the West Coast of the United States.