Japan on High Alert Following North Korea's Attack

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TOKYO—North Korea's artillery attack on a South Korean island put the Japanese government on high alert, with Prime Minister Naoto Kan ordering his cabinet members to step up information-gathering and prepare for emergencies.

After Mr. Kan gathered his key cabinet ministers for an emergency meeting late Tuesday, Tokyo issued a statement that harshly condemned Pyongyang for its attacks on civilian targets and expressed strong support for South Korea.

"The latest act of provocation undermines the peace and security of the entire northeast Asian region including Japan, not just those of South Korea," chief cabinet secretary Yoshito Sengoku said at a news conference, as he called the attack an "unforgivable act." "We demand an immediate end to this kind of action," he said.

The strong show of support for South Korea comes as Tokyo moves to strengthen security ties with Seoul, as both nations, along with their mutual allies such as the U.S. and Australia, beef up cooperation to counter rising tensions in northeast Asia. The swelling military presence of China and uncertainties surrounding a leadership transition in North Korea have stoked concerns.

While asking his ministers to start preparing for emergency situations to ensure the safety of the Japanese people, Mr. Kan ordered to maintain particularly strong communications with Seoul and Washington.

Japan's self-defense forces are expected to escalate intelligence-gathering activities, including closer surveillance from naval vessels operating in the Sea of Japan near the Korean Peninsula, government officials say. They would also keep in close contact with the U.S. military.

Mr. Kan spent his afternoon on a national holiday discussing with his aides North Korea's attack on the South. South Korea scrambled jets and returned fire after the North fired scores of artillery rockets on Yeonpyeong island Tuesday afternoon, setting houses on fire in its small villages and sending its 1,200 residents scrambling for bomb shelters.

At this point, Japanese activities will focus on information-gathering, rather than preparing forces for a possible wartime situation, the government officials said, citing the South Korean government's effort to contain the situation.

If fighting were to escalate between the Koreas, Japan would also need to prepare for a potential flood of refugees.