On July 7, during a public assembly in Takahama, Fukui Prefecture, Shunichi Tanaka, head of Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority, was asked how his organization would respond to a North Korean missile attack. Tanaka replied that it would make more sense for North Korea to hit Tokyo with a missile than "drop it on a small (nuclear) reactor." Though meant as a joke, the comment was condemned by many, including the environmental minister, who is basically Tanaka's boss. Tanaka apologized.