Japan holds first civilian missile evacuation drill

The Japanese government has held its first-ever evacuation drill to protect its citizens in case a ballistic missile is launched toward Japan.

More than 100 residents and schoolchildren of the coastal city of Oga in northern Japan participated in the today drill.

Sirens from loudspeakers warned residents and schoolchildren of a possible missile threat, calling on them to seek shelter indoors as missile parts may fall.

The drill assumed a scenario of hypothetical country "X'' firing a missile that falls into Japanese territorial waters off the coast of Akita prefecture. It comes amid increasing missile threats from North Korea.

Earlier this month, North Korea fired four missiles of which three landed in the 200-nautical-mile offshore area where Tokyo has sovereign rights to explore and exploit resources.