The Japanese military has received orders to strike down the planned launch of a long-range missile by North Korea, if it is deemed to threaten Japan’s national security.
Following a meeting of the Security Council of Japan, chief cabinet secretary Osamu Fujimura was quoted by Agence France-Presse as saying that the military will destroy the projectile or any part that appears to land on Japanese territory.
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The government will broadcast information to local authorities and other broadcasters, whilst social media will also be used following the missile’s launch, Fujimura said.
"We do not expect any debris [from a North Korean missile] under normal circumstances.”
The move follows reports about increasing activity, including the filling of a fuel tank alongside the launch pad at the Sohae satellite launching station in Cholsan Country, North Korea, that could indicate a test launch taking place as early as next week, The Daily Telegraph reported citing Yonhap News Agency.
Japan has already deployed Patriot advanced capability-3 (PAC-3) missile batteries in Tokyo and Okinawa, and a trio of advanced Aegis radar and ballistic missile defence systems-equipped destroyers have sailed into the Sea of Japan.
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By GlobalDataThe US has also sent warships in to the region to monitor the launch, which is rumoured to have a 10 to 22 December 2012 launch window.
North Korea maintains that the launch is peaceful and is intended to place a communication satellite into orbit, but the international community, including the US, South Korea and Japan, consider it a violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
Previous attempts from North Korea to launch a satellite into orbit using its long-range Unha-3 (Galaxy) rocket in April 2012 failed.
Image: A Patriot advanced capability-3 missile launcher stationed in Osan, South Korea. Photo: Lyta79/ US Army.
