Japanese Parliament and Public Unite to Protest North Korean Missile Launch

Japan’s lawmakers and a trade union confederation representing millions of Japanese workers condemned the unexpected missile launch.

What the North Korean regime says is an intercontinental ballistic missile in a launching drill at the Sunan international airport in Pyongyang, North Korea, on March 16, 2023. Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP

North Korea’s launch of a military reconnaissance satellite using ballistic missile technology triggered panic in Japan last week, followed by strong reactions across the country. Japan’s parliament strongly condemned the action and was followed by the country’s largest trade union confederation—representing millions of Japanese—which issued a strongly worded statement.

North Korea had informed Japan on Nov. 21 that it would launch a missile sometime between Nov. 22 and Dec. 1. The unexpected launch late in the evening of Nov. 21 triggered panic as the government briefly issued an emergency evacuation warning to residents of Okinawa.