Japan on Alert over Further Provocations by N. Korea

Tokyo, May 25 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government is on high alert over further provocations by North Korea after Pyongyang launched three ballistic missiles Wednesday.

North Korea "may engage in further provocative acts, such as nuclear testing," Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a press conference.

The latest missile firings, which came shortly after Japan-U.S. and U.S.-South Korea summits, and a Quad summit of the leaders of Japan, the United States, Australia and India are "clearly an act of provocation," Matsuno said.

The Japanese government is planning to handle the matter together with the United States and South Korea.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke by phone and shared grave concerns over North Korea's nuclear and missile development programs.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]