Japan has deployed Patriot missile system in Tokyo against possible threats of North Korea 0904131

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Defence & Security News - Japan
 
 
Tuesday, April 9, 2013, 01:05 PM
 
Japan has deployed Patriot missile system in Tokyo against possible threats of North Korea.
Japan has deployed missile interceptors in key locations around Tokyo as a precaution against possible North Korean ballistic missile tests. The Patriot missiles, called PAC-3s, were deployed Tuesday, April 9, 2013, at Japan's defense ministry headquarters and were also to be deployed at bases farther away from central Tokyo.
     
Japan has deployed missile interceptors in key locations around Tokyo as a precaution against possible North Korean ballistic missile tests. The Patriot missiles, called PAC-3s, were deployed Tuesday, April 9, 2013, at Japan's defense ministry headquarters and were also to be deployed at bases farther away from central Tokyo.
Japan Self-Defense Force members work near a unit of Patriot PAC-3 deployed at Defense Ministry in Tokyo early Tuesday, April 9, 2013. Japan has deployed missile interceptors in key locations around Tokyo as a precaution against a possible North Korean ballistic missile tests.
     

Japan has taken similar measures before previous North Korean launches. It has never actually tried to shoot down a North Korean missile and was not expected to try to do so unless there was a clear threat to Japanese territory.

North Korea is believed to have moved ballistic missiles to its east coast, possibly in preparation for a test launch. That has further raised tensions on the Korean Peninsula amid threats by North Korea and large-scale war games involving U.S. and South Korean troops.

Two Patriot Advanced Capability-3 surface-to-air missile launchers were stationed at the defence ministry in Tokyo before dawn, a ministry spokesman said, while Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera said "we are proceeding with measures including deployment of PAC-3 as we are on alert".

PAC-3 batteries will also be installed in the semi-tropical island chain of Okinawa, Onodera told a television programme broadcast Monday.

Japan's armed forces are authorised to shoot down any North Korean missile headed towards its territory, a defence ministry spokesman said Monday.

In addition to the PAC-3s, Aegis destroyers equipped with sea-based interceptor missiles have been deployed in the Sea of Japan (East Sea), the defence official said.