Tokyo: Japan has ordered its military to be ready to destroy any missile fired by North Korea that threatens the country, local media reported today, as concerns mount that Pyongyang is preparing a rocket launch.
Defence Minister Gen Nakatani issued the order, the Nikkei daily and Kyodo News reported, after reports of suspicious activity at Pyongyang's main satellite complex fuelled speculation a launch could come as early as next week.
A Japanese defence ministry spokeswoman declined to confirm the report when contacted by AFP, saying that "would reveal our strategy".
North Korea is banned from using ballistic missile technology by UN Security Council resolutions, so any launch would further raise tensions among the international community only weeks after its latest nuclear test.
Their comments came after Japan's Kyodo News, citing an anonymous government source, said satellite imagery showed increased movement at Sohae that could suggest a launch as early as next week.
"We can't deny the possibility that North Korea will take further provocative action," Kishida told reporters, adding that he and Kerry had "exchanged information on how to cooperate from now on".
Although Pyongyang insisted it was a purely scientific operation, that launch was condemned by the international community as a disguised ballistic missile test and resulted in a tightening of UN sanctions.
Defence Minister Gen Nakatani issued the order, the Nikkei daily and Kyodo News reported, after reports of suspicious activity at Pyongyang's main satellite complex fuelled speculation a launch could come as early as next week.
A Japanese defence ministry spokeswoman declined to confirm the report when contacted by AFP, saying that "would reveal our strategy".
North Korea is banned from using ballistic missile technology by UN Security Council resolutions, so any launch would further raise tensions among the international community only weeks after its latest nuclear test.
Advertisement
Their comments came after Japan's Kyodo News, citing an anonymous government source, said satellite imagery showed increased movement at Sohae that could suggest a launch as early as next week.
Advertisement
"We can't deny the possibility that North Korea will take further provocative action," Kishida told reporters, adding that he and Kerry had "exchanged information on how to cooperate from now on".
Advertisement
Although Pyongyang insisted it was a purely scientific operation, that launch was condemned by the international community as a disguised ballistic missile test and resulted in a tightening of UN sanctions.
COMMENTS
Advertisement
North Korea Says It Tested Ballistic Missile Capable Of Carrying Super-Large Warhead Kim Jong Un Leads Test Of New Missile That Can Hit US Bases North Korea Fires Several Cruise Missiles Off Its Eastern Coast Parents Gave Names Of Interns, Doctors To CBI In Kolkata Horror: Sources Who Is Jasveen Sangha, "Ketamine Queen" Charged With Matthew Perry's Death How Extreme Weather Is Leading To Rise In Child Marriages In Pakistan 80 Killed In Paramilitary Attack In Sudan OpenAI Blocks Iranian Group's ChatGPT Accounts For Targeting US Election Blinken Heading To Israel To Press Gaza Truce Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.