Japan orders military to prepare to shoot down North Korean missile

Tokyo:

Japan on Saturday ordered its military to prepare to shoot down a North Korean ballistic missile after Pyongyang said it was ready to launch its first military spy satellite this week.

Putting the satellite into orbit would require a long-range projectile, which North Korea is banned from launching because the United Nations views such drills as tests of ballistic missile technology.

On Saturday, Japanese minister Yasukazu Hamada told the country’s self-defense forces it was “likely to order destructive measures against ballistic missiles and others”, according to a defense ministry statement.

Hamada instructed troops to “implement necessary measures to limit damage in the event of a ballistic missile strike”.

He ordered the preparation of destroyers equipped with SM-3 missile interceptors, as well as the deployment of military units in the southern prefecture of Okinawa that can operate Patriot PAC-3 missiles.

In 2012 and 2016, North Korea tested ballistic missiles that Pyongyang called satellite launches.

Both missiles flew over the Okinawa area.

Japanese media reported on Saturday that the Defense Ministry had issued orders for similar preparations in 2012.

Pyongyang has not provided a launch date, with leader Kim Jong Un saying only that the satellite will be sent up “on the planned date”.

G7 foreign ministers meeting in Japan on Tuesday called on North Korea to refrain from any more ballistic missile tests after several launches this year.

The group of wealthy nations also warned Pyongyang against conducting a possible nuclear weapons test, saying there would be a “strong” reaction if it did not follow through.

A week ago Pyongyang said it had successfully test-fired a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile, hailing it as a breakthrough for the country’s nuclear counterattack capabilities.

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