Prime

Japan’s Prime Minister has warned Thursday morning (JST) about the launch of a “possible ballistic missile” from North Korea, but the issue stirred suspicion of political motive with X users. The alert follows a warning earlier this month from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about threats to cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds. 
“North Korea has launched a possible ballistic missile. We will keep you updated as soon as we have further information,” reads the alert, posted to social media platform X at 7:19 a.m. on September 12 (JST). 
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida followed up the announcement soon after with a contingency plan for dealing with such threats. However, given the current political climate in Japan and abroad, the missile warnings fell flat on the ears of some users in Japan. 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-586611 size-full" src="https://www.cryptopolitan.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot-2024-09-12-at-9.18.07.png" alt="" width="1186" height="420" srcset="https://www.cryptopolitan.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot-2024-09-12-at-9.18.07.png 1186w, https://www.cryptopolitan.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot-2024-09-12-at-9.18.07-300x106.png 300w, https://www.cryptopolitan.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot-2024-09-12-at-9.18.07-768x272.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1186px) 100vw, 1186px"> 
The <a href="https://x.com/Kantei_Saigai/status/1834004188420034831" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">contingency plan post</a> on X called for making “every effort to gather and analyze information” and to be prepared for unforeseen circumstances, while keeping the public aware of what is going on. 
The development in Japan comes just after the United States FBI has <a href="https://www.cryptopolitan.com/fbi-north-korea-cyberattack-bitcoin-etfs/">issued warnings</a> from across the pond that cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs) may also be targeted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. 
The FBI’s announcement noted: “North Korean malicious cyber actors conducted research on a variety of targets connected to cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (<abbr>ETF</abbr>s) over the last several months.” 
<h3 id="some-japanese-x-users-suspect-other-motives">Some Japanese X users suspect other motives</h3> 
Japan remains embroiled in a political debate over amending <a href="https://japan.kantei.go.jp/constitution_and_government_of_japan/constitution_e.html#:~:text=Article%209.,means%20of%20settling%20international%20disputes." rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Article 9</a> of the country’s constitution, which has to do with the Japanese military’s ability to wage war and participate in violent conflicts overseas. Currently, the government takes a self-defense only stance. 
One comment on the PM’s post stated: “a clever move to amend the constitution.” Another <a href="https://x.com/ohisama_adult/status/1834004449158934567" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">said</a> “yeah, yeah, the same as usual.” User @news_kyodo <a href="https://x.com/news_kyodo/status/1833994305322844432" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">noted</a> that “the presidential election is approaching.” 
Controversy over Japan’s upcoming <a href="https://www.cryptopolitan.com/japan-minister-wants-important-but-bloody-reform/">change of prime minister</a>, and extreme political unrest in the United States media has added to the foreboding atmosphere. 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-586648" src="https://www.cryptopolitan.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot-2024-09-12-at-11.28.35-300x251.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="585" srcset="https://www.cryptopolitan.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot-2024-09-12-at-11.28.35-300x251.jpg 300w, https://www.cryptopolitan.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot-2024-09-12-at-11.28.35-768x642.jpg 768w, https://www.cryptopolitan.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot-2024-09-12-at-11.28.35.jpg 1196w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px"> 
Warnings of North Korean ballistic missiles have been commonplace in Japan in the last decade, with members of the public polarized as to the the significance (or lack thereof) of these events. Users of X asked the prime minister where the missile was, as <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/09/12/japan/north-korea-missile-september-12/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">other outlets</a> reported it had <a href="https://x.com/usonosaezuri/status/1834006603655512104" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">already fallen</a> outside of the Japanese exclusive economic zone (EEZ). 
There has been no update, at the time of writing, from the prime minister’s official account. 
UPDATE: The prime minister’s office has since posted an update on its official X account at 10:12 a.m. (JST), stating: “We would like to inform you of the latest information regarding North Korea’s missile launch.” The post links to an NHK news story with the headline: “Possible North Korean ballistic missile falls outside Japan’s EEZ.”

Japanese PM issues missile alert in wake of crypto ETF warnings

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