Tokyo holds mass evacuation drills in preparation for North Korean missile attack

Officials in Tokyo have taken part in their first major missile evacuation drill, amid fears of a possible attack from North Korea.

Volunteers from across Japan's capital came together at a fairground, park and the Tokyo Dome baseball stadium to take part in the organised evacuations.

Around 300 people in bibs took part in the evacuations as part of plans to help the city prepare for a professional attack.

Tokyo, which is on the south east of the Japanese islands, is just over 600 miles from North Korea.

Tensions between the two countries have increased in recent months amid a continuing stream of missile tests from the hermit nation.

Some missiles have flown over Japan's northern and second largest island, Hokkaido, prompting fears it could be a target.

But another concern is that unreliable North Korean technology could see a missile crash unexpectedly on Japanese soil, threatening thousands of lives.

The upcoming Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, a region just over 50 miles from the DMZ, is viewed as a chance to diffuse rowing tensions.

North Korea will be participating in the games and will also walk out along their South Korean neighbours during the opening ceremony on Friday 9 February.

Speaking to the evacuation volunteers, Hiroyuku Suenaga, a Japanese government official, said: "A missile from North Korea would arrive in less than 10 minutes and the first alert would come about three minutes after launch, which gives us only around five minutes to find shelter."

The Japanese public broadcaster, NHK, accidentally issued a false missile alarm last week. just days after a similar false missile warning in Hawaii.