Japan poised to shoot down North Korean missile

The Japanese government has ordered its military to shoot down the missile that is expected to be launched by North Korea as early as Monday.





By Julian Ryall in Tokyo

3:00PM GMT 07 Dec 2012

The order to destroy the missile should any part of it threaten to fall onto Japanese territory was issued after a meeting of the Security Council of Japan met and was informed that North Korea has begun filling a fuel tank alongside the launch pad at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station in preparation for the launch.

Japan has already deployed Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile batteries in Tokyo, as well as in Okinawa and at locations along the northern and western coasts facing the Korean Peninsula.

Three Japanese destroyers equipped with the advanced Aegis detect-and-destroy weapons system have been deployed in the Sea of Japan. The US has also stationed warships in the area to monitor the launch.

New satellite images released on Friday indicate that snow may have slowed the preparations, but Pyongyang shouuld still be ready for liftoff starting on Monday.

Pyongyang claims the launch is an attempt to put an earth-observation satellite into orbit. But analysts and foreign governments share the belief that the it is part of North Korea’s development of long-range missiles.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/9728806/Japan-poised-to-shoot-down-North-Korean-missile.html