Japan to ready defense against North Korea rocket: Kyodo

**xrough** · 19th March 2009 11:19

Japan to ready defense against North Korea rocket: Kyodo

SEOUL - Japan will clear the way for the deployment of ballistic missile interceptors as it prepares for the possibility a North Korean rocket could fall toward its territory, Kyodo news agency reported on Wednesday.

North Korea has said it intends to launch a satellite between April 4 and 8, presenting a challenge to U.S. President Barack Obama and allies in Asia who see the plan as a disguised long-range missile test.

The plan has alarmed the region and prompted some airlines to say they will alter flight routes during the test period. The reclusive state stunned Tokyo with the launch of a rocket in 1998 that flew over Japan before dropping into the Pacific Ocean.

Japanese law allows the shooting down of dangerous objects falling toward the country, excluding aircraft. The cabinet plans to approve preparatory steps to destroy the rocket if it falls onto Japanese territory, Kyodo said, citing government sources.

South Korea's defense minister said there was a possibility the North would use the intense attention being focused on the missile launch to mount a limited attack across the border to further escalate tension on the Korean peninsula.

The attack could be a naval, air or land strike anywhere along the armed border that divides the Korean peninsula, Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee told parliament in Seoul.

North Korea has said it is putting a communications satellite into orbit, and has the right to do so under its space program. It has said the first stage of the rocket would splash down in the Sea of Japan, while the second would land in the Pacific.

Japanese cabinet approval, which may come by the end of March, would clear the way for the deployment of ground-based Patriot Advanced Capability-3 interceptors, Kyodo said.

Cabinet approval is required in Japan, where military activity is strictly limited under its pacifist constitution. A defense ministry spokesman declined to comment.

Japan is also considering deploying two high-tech Aegis-equipped destroyers carrying Standard Missile-3 ballistic missile interceptors, Kyodo added.

The United States, South Korea and Japan have said they see no difference between a satellite launch and a missile test because they use the same rocket, the North's Taepodong-2 with a range that could take it to Alaska.

The North's biggest neighbor and benefactor, China, however, has avoided directly criticizing Pyongyang's rocket launch plan, instead making general calls for greater regional goodwill.

In Beijing, North Korea's visiting Premier Kim Yong-il met Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, who praised the "friendship" between their countries. Initial reports of their meeting from the official Xinhua news agency did not mention the rocket issue.

The only time the North tested the Taepodong-2 in 2006, it blew apart a few seconds after being fired. Analysts said the North appears to have made technological advances to fix flight problems and is confident of a successful launch.

But analysts do not expect the United States to intercept the rocket because the launch poses no major security threat while destroying it would infuriate Pyongyang. The North has said it would consider any interception an act of war.

Tensions over factory

Tensions have also festered between North and South Korea over a joint factory park in the North, which has blocked entry to the facility in recent days.

South Korea warned it would respond with decisive action if Pyongyang again blocked access to the factory, but said it was too early to consider shutting the project.

In the past week, the North has blocked movement across the heavily defended border to an industrial park run by South Korean firms in the city of Kaesong out of anger over joint military drills by South Korean and U.S. troops.

"If the North repeats the border traffic suspension after the end of the drills, the government will consider it a very grave situation and will take appropriate measures," Unification Minister Hyun In-taek said in Seoul without elaborating.

The four-day blockade, which was lifted on Tuesday, stranded more than 400 South Korean managers in the Kaesong industrial park and nearly dried up supplies and materials for factories there, casting doubt on the prospects for a project that had been a lucrative source of income for the cash-strapped North.

North Korean anger against the government in Seoul, which ended a decade of no-questions-asked aid to the North a year ago, intensified last week when South Korea and the United States began annual military drills scheduled to end on Friday.

North Korea has also rejected future food aid from the United States, the State Department said on Tuesday. [nN17293000]

It said the North had informed Washington in the past few days of the decision not to accept more U.S. assistance, which would have amounted to about 330,000 tonnes before the end of May. No reason was given for the North's decision.

**yahoo** · 19th March 2009 16:05

Is North Korea the only country which is launching a satellite with rockets which are going to fall in other countries?

**Dreadnought** · 20th March 2009 12:46

Originally Posted by yahoo

Is North Korea the only country which is launching a satellite with rockets which are going to fall in other countries?

Doesnt matter according to the UNSC. If they launch that missle they will effectively be breaking their end of the deal. They should be more focused on keeping their end of the deal. Apparently they are not and I would not be surprised if a country does shoot it down for defying the UN once again with or without their sabre rattling especially if it flies over Japan. I think a few countries with not only the right to do it and have the capability to do it precieves North Korean threats as "getting old" which means patience is more then likely wearing thin with Kims regime like a immature individual that wont stop screaming me me me. Maybe perhaps its getting time to call Kims bluff and say ok you want war then you make the first move and then you will have exactly what you wanted..confrontation and then war and this time it will be settled without a truce until your regime is removed or destroyed and swept away. Either way solve the problem because absolutely none of NK's neighbors want to see them gain the warhead and the means to deliver it because it will shift powers in the area and three powers alone wont let that happen and thats not counting the US. China may be calling for better relations but shes fooling no one. She dont want NK getting a capable weapon anymore then anyone else since if NK starts something (which she would almost certainly do while talking tough the opposers may not stop at just words) which puts China and Japan in the crosshairs as well from anything either missing the target or fallout or refugees flooding over the borders.

**astralis** · 20th March 2009 14:15

LOL, what can the japanese do?

**Dreadnought** · 20th March 2009 14:58

Originally Posted by astralis

LOL, what can the japanese do?

The interceptor missles they own would certainly put a thorn into that rockets side pending on how fast the opposite side reacts before it reaches its upper stages. All it would have to do is knock it off its trajectory. Think about it, what would happen if another nations ballistic missle flew over the US or another NATO country. They have every right to shoot it down and wouldnt blame them if they did. You saw the USN AEGIS cruiser take out a satellite. Japan does have AEGIS destroyers that could easlity do the job if they hold the correct block of AEGIS before it reaches max elevation and speed and whats to say Japans friends wouldnt supply that information. Maybe, maybe not but one thing is clear Japan isint the only one against this launch.

TOKYO —

Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada suggested Friday that Japan might shoot down a North Korean ballistic missile with its ballistic missile shield if the missile is coming toward Japan. ‘‘The Defense Ministry has long been considering such a thing (intercepting a North Korean ballistic missile),’’ Hamada told a news conference. ‘‘It’s not something we have to comment on in one way or another just because we have a situation like this now.’’

His comments came after Pyongyang’s announcement Tuesday that full-fledged preparations are under way to launch an experimental communications satellite, stirring concerns that North Korea may be preparing to launch an improved version of its Taepodong-2 intermediate-range ballistic missile. ‘‘We will do what we have to,’’ the minister also said, adding that Tokyo is continuing to collect information on developments.

Asked if Japan’s fledgling ballistic missile shield is capable of intercepting an incoming missile, Hamada simply said, ‘‘As you already know what we have done up to now, we are doing what we have always been doing.’’

In August 1998, when North Korea fired what is believed to have been a Taepodong-1 missile, part of which flew over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean, Pyongyang claimed it had successfully test-launched a satellite.

**astralis** · 20th March 2009 18:35

dreadnought,

Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada suggested Friday that Japan might shoot down a North Korean ballistic missile with its ballistic missile shield if the missile is coming toward Japan. ‘‘The Defense Ministry has long been considering such a thing (intercepting a North Korean ballistic missile),’’ Hamada told a news conference. ‘‘It’s not something we have to comment on in one way or another just because we have a situation like this now.’’

all they can really do is shoot at the missile as it is coming down, and they're not really interested in that unless the missile is actually aimed AT japan, not just coming toward japan.

otherwise they get a ton of debris to deal with, egg on their faces if they miss, and a potential war with NK if they do hit. guess which nation the japanese would rather have take up the slack?

**Dreadnought** · 20th March 2009 18:50

Originally Posted by astralis

dreadnought,

all they can really do is shoot at the missile as it is coming down, and they're not really interested in that unless the missile is actually aimed AT japan, not just coming toward japan.

otherwise they get a ton of debris to deal with, egg on their faces if they miss, and a potential war with NK if they do hit. guess which nation the japanese would rather have take up the slack?

I dont know about you but if another countries ballistic missle was over my country I would be concerned considering the fact that they have not had much sucess so far with their missles actually functioning properly.

*The very same one that We both know could shoot it down beyond the shadow of doubt since we have already proven that theory from a sea based platform.

It should be shot down and they should be dragged back infront of the UNSC. Enough screwing around and start holding up your end of the deal on the nuke negociations or they get shot down from here on out and well live with the banter that follows.

**astralis** · 20th March 2009 19:59

dreadnought,

I dont know about you but if another countries ballistic missle was over my country I would be concerned considering the fact that they have not had much sucess so far with their missles actually functioning properly.

sure...but when you have another nation protecting you with better capabilities, yeah, i'd depend more on them too. this is just talk by the japanese.

*The very same one that We both know could shoot it down beyond the shadow of doubt since we have already proven that theory from a sea based platform

it's quite difficult to shoot down ballistic missiles, but no doubt the US has better capabilities than the japanese. they're very limited in what they can do.

It should be shot down and they should be dragged back infront of the UNSC. Enough screwing around and start holding up your end of the deal on the nuke negociations or they get shot down from here on out and well live with the banter that follows.

the NK don't give much of a dam' bout the UNSC. they care about three countries, in order of importance to them: china, SK, US. and china's far in front. most likely the chinese will put pressure on them to stop, but we will see.

**WarisHell** · 30th May 2009 16:10

They are readying the PAC-3s which are being airlifted probably as we speak.

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