Breaking news
Japan has deployed Patriot air missile defense systems in downtown Tokyo 30202163.
|
|
|||
|
Defence & Security News - Japan
|
|||
|
|
|||
| Japan has deployed Patriot air missile defense systems in downtown Tokyo | |||
|
The Japanese government confirmed Tuesday it has readied itself for a possible test-firing of a rocket or ballistic missile by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) by deploying both ground and sea-based antimissile interceptors including SM-3 and PAC-3 interceptors.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
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 Block 1A missile interceptor systems have also been deployed in the Sea of Japan and surrounding waters. The United Nations has satellites capable of issuing early warnings of missile launches, and the defense ministry here has said that if a launch is detected by satellites, or X-band radars detect an incoming missile, the SM-3 system would try to intercept it while in flight. Should the SM-3 attempt fail, the PAC-3 interceptors stand as the second line of defense and will attempt to shoot down any inbound missile approaching Japan, the government has said. |
|||
