April 23, 2024
News

Tokyo orders military to shoot down debris from North Korean satellite launch

Expert says Japan is able to intercept rockets that could fall in its territory but that tracking debris could be tricky

Japan’s defense minister has instructed the country’s military to prepare “destructive measures” against any debris that falls over Japanese territory in the event of a North Korean satellite launch, after Pyongyang reported that it has completed a new military reconnaissance satellite.

Yasukazu Hamada issued the order to the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF) and called on the military leadership to make necessary preparations, including the deployment of Patriot PAC-3 and Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) missile defenses, the defense ministry stated in a press release on Saturday.

Become a member for less than $4 per week.

  • Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis
  • The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop
  • Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns
  • Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting
Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts.
Subscribe now

All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time.