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Japan would have just '10 minutes' to warn citizens of North Korean nuclear attack

Japan will only have 10 minutes to warn its citizens a nuclear attack is coming from North Korea, according to an official government website.

The country’s authorities have issued guidelines of what to do in the event a ballistic missile attack is launched.

The Cabinet Secretariat Civil Protection Portal site details how the public would be notified of an impending attack under the country’s J-Alert system.

The system was introduced in 2007 to warn Japan’s citizens of a disaster or threat, and to co-ordinate emergency responses along with evacuation information.

Japan's civil defence website says a missile can travel from North Korea to Okinawa in 10 minutes. Source: AP
Japan's civil defence website says a missile can travel from North Korea to Okinawa in 10 minutes. Source: AP

The alert states ballistic missiles launched from North Korea could arrive “in a very short time.”

Citing a missile launch in February last year, the alert states it only took a missile 10 minutes to travel from North Korea’s western coast to Okinawa.

According to The Independent, rising tensions in the region has seen a spike in views on Japan’s civil defence website which has had 5.7 million visitors in April.

North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests, two of them last year, and is working to develop nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the United States. Photo: AAP
North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests, two of them last year, and is working to develop nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the United States. Photo: AAP

North Korea has also warned a “suicidal” Australia that Darwin could become the launch pad for a nuclear war due to a its large presence of US military personnel.

The Rodong Sinmun newspaper claimed the US was “fanatically, crazy” using Darwin’s port “to optimise its nuclear war readiness.”

"This is the largest scale US military presence in Australia after the Second World War," the newspaper wrote on Monday.

State-run media made the threat as tensions between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the United States continue to intensify and 1250 US marines land in Australia.

North Korea warns Darwin could be a nuclear flashpoint as 1550 US Marines begin their deployment there. Source: AP
North Korea warns Darwin could be a nuclear flashpoint as 1550 US Marines begin their deployment there. Source: AP