FILE PHOTO: Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida delivers a speech at his official residence in Tokyo, Japan July 14, 2022. Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
Tokyo, Japan — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday that a missile launched by North Korea “did not fall in Japanese territory”, after the government issued a warning to residents of Hokkaido.
Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada told reporters that the projectile, which was “likely to be an ICBM-class ballistic missile, sharply angled eastwards” also did not appear to have fallen in Japan’s economic waters.
Earlier, Japan’s government urged Hokkaido residents to take shelter Thursday morning after a North Korean missile launch, but local officials later said the missile would not land near the northern region.
“Evacuate immediately. Evacuate immediately,” the government said in an initial warning, telling residents of Hokkaido to take shelter in a building or underground.
The warning said the missile was expected to land around 8:00 am local time (2300 GMT).
But not long after, Asahikawa city in Hokkaido tweeted that there was no longer any concern of danger.
“After we confirmed the information, there is no possibility that the missile will fall on Hokkaido or areas around the region,” the account said, citing the national government’s emergency network.
Japan’s coast guard said the missile was believed to have landed.
It did not give exact details of where, but said there was “no longer a possibility” it would fall near Hokkaido.