Japan’s PM interrupts campaign as N Korea test fires missile

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s new prime minister has interrupted his first day of election campaigning on Tuesday, as he returned to the capital of Tokyo to deal with rising regional tensions following North Korea’s test-firing of a missile earlier in the day. Tuesday was the first official day of campaigning for nationwide legislative elections scheduled for Oct. 31. Fumio Kishida’s campaign was already off to a rocky start, with media polls showing his support rating sliding. Kishida was informed of the missile launch after his campaign’s opening speech in Fukushima. On his return to Tokyo, Kishida vowed to “drastically strengthen” Japan’s self-defense capabilities amid the region’s worsening security environment.