Hayashi, Blinken condemn North Korean missile launches

By Kazusa Yoda / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

14:54 JST, November 4, 2022

MUNSTER, Germany — Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken strongly condemned the latest round of North Korean ballistic missile launches on the sidelines of a Group of Seven foreign ministers’ meeting in Munster, Germany.

During brief talks on Thursday night, Hayashi and Blinken said the launches were a grave and immediate threat to regional security and a clear and serious challenge to the international community.

The two foreign ministers agreed on the importance of further strengthening the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan – U.S. alliance. They also reaffirmed that Japan, the United States and South Korea would work closely toward the complete denuclearization of North Korea.