March 23rd, 2012
01:47 AM ET

Japan prepares missile defense ahead of North Korea launch

The Japanese defense minister said Friday that he had ordered the country's military to prepare a missile defense system ahead of a planned rocket launch by North Korea next month.

North Korea said last week that it is planning to carry out a rocket-powered satellite launch between April 12 and 16, alarming countries around the region.

South Korea has said it considers the satellite launch an attempt to develop a nuclear-armed missile, while the United States has warned the move would jeopardize a food-aid agreement reached with Pyongyang in early March.

Naoki Tanaka, the Japanese defense minister, said at a news conference Friday that he had requested that officials get ready for the deployment of anti-missile PAC3 and Eagis ships ahead of the launch.

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Filed under: World
soundoff (12 Responses)
  1. JerseyJeff

    I hope they shoot the rocket down. "Here is mud in your eye Kim Jung-un!"

    March 23, 2012 at 7:17 am | Report abuse |
  2. American soldier

    So let me see if I got this right...other countries aren't allowed to have nuclear power or satellites? Granted Iran and north Korea are probably telling lies about there actions..but how do we know that? What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty? I realty hope the USA government is right cause if not they are going to look like fools ..remember Iraq and it's weapons of mass destruction? You know the reason for invading Iraq..

    March 23, 2012 at 7:53 am | Report abuse |
  3. BOMBO © I'm not a dipomat but

    The USA is telling NK "Don't launch that rocket. If you launch that rocket, you're going to bed without any supper."

    March 23, 2012 at 10:54 am | Report abuse |
  4. BOMBO © I'm not a diplomat but

    And what the hell is a dipomat? A place where you buy dips from vending machines? Dammit.

    March 23, 2012 at 10:56 am | Report abuse |
  5. bobcat2u

    Does anyone else feel this is a slight over-reaction ? I just can't get myself to believe NK would be stupid enough to actually fire a missile at Ja pan.
    And btw CNN story checkers, that system is known as AEGIS not EAGIS. AEGIS was the name of the greek god Zues' shield.

    March 23, 2012 at 11:36 am | Report abuse |
    • BOMBO © I'm not a Classical Mythology professor but

      Also Athena in Homer's Iliad.

      March 23, 2012 at 2:12 pm | Report abuse |
  6. saywhat

    @ bobcat2u

    That is the feeling we get. Ditto for reactions to whatever Iran does.
    No country would be suicidal enough to take actions that spell disaster for them, unless of course they are driven against the wall.

    March 23, 2012 at 12:58 pm | Report abuse |
  7. bobcat2u

    @ saywhat
    That has always been my reasoning. Animals are always prone to barking and growling, but if you back them into a corner, with no means of escape, yes they will try to take as many as they can with them.

    March 23, 2012 at 1:11 pm | Report abuse |
  8. fred

    So crystalize them all again! You have the power!

    March 23, 2012 at 3:10 pm | Report abuse |
  9. saywhat

    No @ fred
    Treat them as people sharing the planet with us. Don't push them into a corner. These countries have millions of folks like you & me with same aspirations of putting food on the table, wanting the best for their families , wanting a roof over their heads.
    Its the politicoas on all sides which are the scourge.

    March 23, 2012 at 11:21 pm | Report abuse |
    • Muhammet

      I agree, in that you don't need to lead people unraod by the nose in order to stimulate ideas. But for me, my long posts are where I explore what I really think, and believe, and just kind of lay it all out for other people to poke through.

      April 22, 2012 at 3:51 pm | Report abuse |
  10. tim

    Its because we think that countires should develop normally...make an actual working food and electric power system...instead they develop nukes so countries will get scared enough that they are forced to "talk" to them about drawing down their nukes...then they ask for food aide...they've demanded nuclear reactors to in exchange along with food aide...they act like children...

    March 24, 2012 at 11:43 am | Report abuse |
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