Japan urges N Korea not to launch rocket

now NK should urge japan to lift sanctions...neither side is going to listen.

JAXA launches satellites all the time, the last one was a spy satellite aimed at North Korea.

Seems like a double standard to me.

Like NK are going to listen to Japan!

Roger: Statements like this are probably more for Japanese domestic audience. They know whatever they say will be ignored by NK.

I bet NK are laughing at America right now. Promised they would suspend their nuclear and long distance missile programs in exchange for food aid. But under a month later this happens.

Kari: Maybe,maybe not. That food aid could be on hold. Then who'll be laughing.

Go ahead NK. Launch your rocket. When I was a kid I used to launch rockets in my backyard.

It was cool. My dad used to help me with that

That's your backyard. You can launch anything you please.

The current leader of North Korea visited Japan several times in his youth, had a mother with connections to Japan, and loves manga and gaming. He also was educated at a Swiss boarding school. We’ll see if this plays into the political relationship between Japan and North Korea. What I think will happen is that N.K. will respect Japan's wishes. Then international aid will arrive. What this would seem to the N.K. people is that the new leader is improving their country with economic change. They will support Kim Jong-Un in all his future decisions. I think right now he has to play the tough guy who is demanding the west for opportunity, rather than looking like a hermit begging for aid.

Check out : http://www.tofugu.com/2012/01/17/kim-jong-il-his-family-and-their-secret-love-for-japan-and-tokyo-disney/

There's also the option of intercepting the rocket if one enters or approaches Japan's airspace. That's self-defense.

Nk need to suspend a rocket launch. If they do this, they will be in a food shortage if the United States stop supporting or helping them for food aid.

Since it's a kind of normal game plan that NK thinks about, JPN doesn't need to get upset. Having current situation that NK is short of enough food to maintain NK citizen, JPN government should take actions in a calm manner.

Amazing how it's OK for the U.S., Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, etc. to launch rockets/satellites, but it's not OK for North Korea.

Farmboy, we don't have plenty. Besides, the aid goes to the military, not the people who need it.

Wow... Japan talking about hurting regional stability... THERE'S a pot calling the kettle black!

And anyway, I see it only took a day for Japan to start calling it a missile rather than a rocket again. Let's fan the flames of paranoia, people. I'm curious if the media will announe the 'missle launch' a day beforehand like last time.

I agree with Japan and urge N Korea not to launch rocket.

Some of you are so not fair.

I remember watching the Space Shuttle blast into space on TV before it became routine. That was so cool. What about those kids in NK. They deserve to see a rocket launch.

The fact that you even know about the launch is transparency in itself.

NK Foreign Relations Minister: We'd like to inform you that we are going to test fire a rocket. We didn't want you to be alarmed and think WWIII was about to start.

Do they get a thank you? No! Instead you want them to live in the stone age. I hope they're successful.

What if there's a big frickin asteroid headed straight for Earth? We'll need all the missiles and rockets we can muster. If the asteroid were headed straight for North Korea and not Japan, we all know that Japan won't help.

Oh cool, Budda sent an asteroid to take out our enemies....Banzai!!

Stop being so hypocritical.

NetNinja: Good points. There is, however, reason to be suspect about the intentions. I also agree with people who criticize the NK government/military for spending so much many on such (often failing) projects when so many of the nation's citizens are starving to death.

I mean, if you criticize government spending in Japan or the US, for example, when people here or there are suffering (ie. Tohoku area, bankruptcies, etc.), you've got to at least criticize NK when the people are so much worse off.

I don't understand this part "contravention of international rules and could damage regional stability" it seems to me politicinas has become idiot

NetNinja

I remember watching the Space Shuttle blast into space on TV before it became routine. That was so cool. What about those kids in NK. They deserve to see a rocket launch

Riiiight. Those kinds also deserve 3 meals a day, a good, balanced education and the prospect of a good job in the future in a free and well-adjusted society. As a kid did you have to eat weeds and cadarvers to get by, like they have had to in NK due to a completely innefectual ruling system that spends what it little it has on military advancement and sattelite technology whilst maintaining a political system that is so innefectual and inhumane that virtually no country in the world, in good conscience, can trade with you? There is nothing worth you defending here. You also seem unaware of the fact that NK has a habit of shooting missiles, not sattelites over Honshu. And that they tend to lie a lot about what they will and won't do. This isn't a kids birthday party my friend. Wake up a bit.

There is no need for North Korea to do what they are planing, We have more issues in world that need to be fix

Correction - my last post should say 'those kids'.

Nothing against some Western ( basically the U.S. & Japan plays the role as follower ) convictions / suspicions..but sometimes these convictions turned out to be disastrous..examples in the last decade...

Iraq's massive destructive weapons..accusing fingers pointing also at Libya, Iran, Syria & finally North Korea's satellite being accused as missile test... as long as they are not on the right side..