Japan Strongly Protests North Korea Ballistic Missile Launch

Aug 20, 2026 | News On Japan

TOKYO - Japan strongly protested and condemned North Korea after it launched a ballistic missile at around 5:04 p.m. on August 20, with the projectile believed to have fallen outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said.

Speaking to reporters in India, where he was visiting, Koizumi said the launch threatened the peace and security of Japan and the international community.

"Regarding this launch, Japan lodged a strong protest with North Korea through the embassy route in Beijing and strongly condemned it," Koizumi said.

The Defense Ministry estimates that the missile landed outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, or EEZ.

No reports of damage to aircraft or vessels had been received as of August 20.

The launch was North Korea's eighth missile launch this year.

The United States and South Korea began military exercises on August 17 based on a contingency scenario on the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea has opposed the exercises, raising the possibility that the missile launch was carried out in response to the drills.

Source: TBS

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