But while saying that diplomacy remains the first course of action, with the Japanese government stating it hopes the US Security Council will be able to suitably respond to the DPRK's fourth test of a nuclear device on Jan. 6, the defense ministry said it remains on high alert.
Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani told a press briefing Tuesday that his ministry is fully poised for any rocket or missile tests by the DPRK, stating that Patriot Advanced Capability-3, or PAC-3, surface-to-air missile systems have been deployed at 34 locations.
The locations comprise the ministry's facilities in Ichigaya in Tokyo, as well as in Asaka and Narashino, which is close to the nation's capital.
Nakatani said a launch could occur without prior notice and as such Japan had to ready itself for a number of potential scenarios.
He said past launches have come without any warning, and, as such, the potential for rocket or missile-related objects falling into waters around Japan existed.
Hence, while not mentioning specifics, Japan's defense minister said Maritime Self-Defense Force's Aegis destroyers, equipped with the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) interceptor systems have also been deployed in the Sea of Japan and surrounding waters...
[Xinhua]
2/2/16
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US threatens 'tough' UN sanctions over North Korea satellite launch...
ReplyDeleteThe United States threatened North Korea Tuesday with "tough" UN Security Council sanctions if it goes through with a planned satellite launch.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) said it had received a shipping warning from North Korea of its intention to launch an earth observation satellite between February 8-25, in what Washington said would be "another egregious violation" of UN Security Council resolutions.
"This argues even more strongly for action by the UN Security Council and the international community to impose real consequences for the destabilizing action that the DPRK has taken, is taking, and to raise the cost to the leaders through the imposition of tough additional sanctions," said Daniel Russel, the assistant US secretary of state for Asia-Pacific affairs.
North Korea confirmed Tuesday it was planning an imminent satellite rocket launch that would amount to another major breach of UN resolutions following its nuclear test last month......http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/asia-pacific/101473-160202-north-korea-confirms-imminent-satellite-launch