Tokyo Believes North Korea Already Can Strike Japan With Nuclear Arms

The Japanese Defense Ministry said in its annual military report, the 2023 Defense White Paper published on Friday, that North Korea already has the ability to strike Japan with nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles.

"Rapid progress in nuclear and missile development. It is believed that North Korea has the ability to attack Japan with nuclear weapons fitted to ballistic missiles," the paper read.

In recent years, North Korea has been repeatedly launching ballistic missiles and other missiles at an unprecedentedly high frequency. It is also concentrating on enhancing its nuclear and missile related technologies and operational capabilities. For example, North Korea has repeatedly launched ballistic missiles that fly with irregular trajectories and missiles it calls 'hypersonic missiles,' and it is also pursuing the implementation of long-range cruise missiles with the intention of mounting them with tactical nuclear weapons.