Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada ordered the Self-Defense ForcesDefense Forces on Monday to prepare to destroy a North Korean missile if it falls within Japan's territory.
The order, effective through June 11, was instituted after North Korea notified Japan of a plan to launch what it claims to be a satellite. At a Hastily convened press conference on Monday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said the ballistic missile could pass over Japan's territory, including the Nansei Islands that span Kyushu and Okinawa Prefecture.
The SDF is expected to respond to the situation by mobilizing Patriot Advanced Capability 3 PAC 3 units deployed in the Miyako, Ishigaki and Yonaguni islands in the Okinawa Prefecture, as well as deploying an Aegis destroyer equipped with standard missile-3 SM-3 interceptor missiles to the East China Sea.
A launch using ballistic missile technology is a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and a serious matter regarding the safety of the people, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Monday. Kishida urged relevant ministers and agencies to collaborate and make every effort to collect and analyze information, in order to keep the public informed in an appropriate way. Japan, in collaboration with the United States, South Korea and other countries, will strongly encourage North Korea to exercise restraint and refrain from firing the missile, he said.
The prime minister also instructed stakeholders to take all possible steps to prepare for unforeseen circumstances.