Early Thursday morning, Japan issued an evacuation order to residents of the northern island of Hokkaido through the J-Alert emergency warning system, as a North Korean missile was expected to land on or near the Japanese territory. However, the warning was lifted later that morning after officials said the missile landed outside Japanese territory in waters off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula. Many residents criticized the government’s response, calling the J-Alert ineffective and instilling unnecessary fear in the population. Some pointed out that even if the missile had been heading towards Japan, there would not have been enough time to find shelter. This incident follows numerous issues with the J-Alerts in the past, including a malfunction last October that alarmed residents in nine Tokyo islands after North Korea fired a ballistic missile. Tensions remain high in the region as North Korea continues to conduct missile tests in reaction to joint military drills between the US and South Korea.