DATE=9/3/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-238107
TITLE=JAPAN/ NORTH KOREAN MISSILE (L-ONLY) (CQ)
BYLINE=STEVE HERMAN
DATELINE=TOKYO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: JAPAN HAS PUT ITS MILITARY ON ALERT THURSDAY FOLLOWING
REPORTS THAT NORTH KOREA IS PREPARING TO TEST-FIRE A SECOND
MISSILE. AS STEVE HERMAN REPORTS FROM TOKYO, JAPANESE
AUTHORITIES SAY THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE DANGERS ANOTHER SUCH
FIRING POSES TO THE JAPANESE MAINLAND, AS WELL AS AIR AND SEA
TRAFFIC.
TEXT: JAPAN'S CHIEF GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAYS PYONGYANG IS
REJECTING HIS COUNTRY'S PROTESTS AND REFUSING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS
FROM THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT ABOUT THE MISSILE LAUNCHED ON
MONDAY. THE SPOKESMAN, HIROMU NONAKA, WHO IS ALSO THE CHIEF
CABINET SECRETARY, SAYS TOKYO BELIEVES THAT PYONGYANG MIGHT FIRE
A SECOND MISSILE TO COINCIDE WITH THE CONVENING OF THE NORTH
KOREAN PARLIAMENT ON SATURDAY.
JAPAN'S DEFENSE AGENCY, WHICH HAS BEEN CRITICIZED BY THE MEDIA
AND OPPOSITION POLITICIANS, FOR BEING CAUGHT OFF GUARD DURING
THE FIRST NORTH KOREAN MISSILE LAUNCH, SAYS IT IS ON ALERT AND
HAS TAKEN UNSPECIFIED MEASURES TO PREPARE FOR THE SECOND
ANTICIPATED TEST FIRING.
JAPAN IS NOT SAYING HOW IT HAS COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT
ANOTHER MISSILE LAUNCH IS IMMINENT, BUT SOUTH KOREA'S YONHAP
NEWS AGENCY SAYS U-S SPY SATELLITES HAVE MONITORED PREPARATIONS
FOR A SECOND LAUNCH AND THE INFORMATION HAS BEEN PASSED ON TO
SEOUL AND TOKYO.
MEDIA REPORTS IN ASIA AND THE UNITED STATES SAY THE U-S AIR FORCE
HAS DISPATCHED BOMBERS TO THE PACIFIC ISLAND OF GUAM TO SHOW
NORTH KOREA THAT AMERICA WILL RESPOND QUICKLY TO SUCH
PROVOCATIVE ACTS. U-S DEFENSE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMEN SAY MOVING
THE B-2 AND B-52 BOMBERS TO GUAM IS PART OF ROUTINE TRAINING
OPERATIONS.
JAPANESE WERE ALARMED BY MONDAY'S FIRING OF A NEW, MORE ADVANCED
NORTH KOREAN TWO-STAGE MISSILE. THE FIRST STAGE LANDED IN THE SEA
OF JAPAN AND THE SECOND STAGE SAILED OVER THE COUNTRY AND FELL
INTO THE PACIFIC OCEAN. JAPAN HAS REACTED BY FREEZING EFFORTS TO
IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH NORTH KOREA AND RESTRICTING TRANSPORTATION
BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES. IN EDITORIALS, JAPANESE NEWSPAPERS
ARE CALLING THE NORTH KOREAN MISSILE LAUNCH "A STUPID ACT" AND
QUESTIONING HOW A NATION -- SUPPOSEDLY EAGER TO IMPROVE
RELATIONS WITH ITS NEIGHBOR -- WOULD CARRY OUT SUCH A TEST, OVER
JAPAN'S DENSELY POPULATED MAINLAND AND INTO HEAVILY USED
INTERNATIONAL AIR AND SEA LANES. (SIGNED)
NEB/SH/FC
03-Sep-98 10:39 AM EDT (1439 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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