Members of a far-right Uyoku dantai group in Japan have fired gunshots at the gate of the General Association of Korean Residents. The Association serves as the de-facto consulate of the DPRK in Japan, as the countries have no formal relations. Historically, left wing Japanese parties often exchange ideas and literature with members of the General Association of Korean Residents.

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Satoshi Katsurada, one of the uyoku (right-wing activists) who opened fire at North Korean facility in Tokyo today had driven his explosive-laden truck into Prime Minister's Official Residence in 1992 in an attempt to assassinate all Japanese ministers.https://t.co/JoF2vYuutM

— Thoton Akimoto (@Thoton) February 23, 2018

According to local reports, no one was injured in the shooting but part of a gate was damaged. This comes just before the close of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in which athletes from both Korean states marched together under a Unity Flag, while the teams competed jointly in several events.

While the majority of the international community has welcomed the rapprochement between Pyongyang and Seoul, US Vice President Mike Pence famously refused to acknowledge the procession of the joint Korean team while all other dignitaries present applauded their cooperative efforts. With the two Korean states set to cooperate on future initiatives with both sides praising the joint Olympic endeavour, it is now the case that Japan has far poorer relations with the DPRK than does South Korea. Nevertheless, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe shook hands with the DPRK delegation at the Olympics unlike the US Vice President.

The two terrorists have now been arrested by Japanese police.