Japan condemns North Korea's test of hypersonic missile

By Ahmet Furkan Mercan

TOKYO (AA) - Japan condemned North Korea’s testing of a newly developed hypersonic missile earlier this week.

"The latest launch violates UN Security Council resolutions against using ballistic missile technology," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato, speaking at a press conference Thursday.

Kato said Japan lodged a protest with North Korea through its embassy in Beijing because Tokyo does not have diplomatic relations with Pyongyang.

Funakoshi Takehiro, director-general of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, spoke by phone with the special representatives of the US and South Korea for North Korea, according to Kyodo news agency.

During the calls, it was agreed to continue tripartite cooperation on North Korea's full-scale denuclearization.

The missile, called Hwasong-8, was successfully tested on Sept. 28, Pyongyang's state-run KCNA news agency reported.

KCNA pointed out that the new type of hypersonic missile has "strategic significance" in bolstering the country’s self-defense capabilities and was "one of the five most important new weapon systems” in North Korea’s five-year military development plan.

The Japanese government announced that the missile fell outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone.