Japan's Defense Minister Orders to Destroy Any Ballistic Missile Coming from N. Korea

Japan's Defense Minister Hamada Yasukazu on Monday ordered the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) to destroy any incoming ballistic missiles, after North Korea announced its plan to launch what it calls a satellite between May 31 and June 11.

According to the Japanese Ministry of Defense - as reported by the Japanese Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) - that Pyongyang may plan to launch a ballistic missile under the pretext of placing a satellite in orbit.

Under this order, the SDF will be allowed to destroy a North Korean ballistic missile that is likely to fall within Japanese territory.

This calls for shooting down any object using SM3 interceptor missiles from the Aegis destroyers of the Maritime Self-Defense Force in the East China Sea and the ground-based PAC-3 system in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan.

The missiles are likely to be destroyed in the airspace over Japanese territory and its exclusive economic zone and on the high seas near the country.