Japan will increase efforts to establish a missile defense shield in cooperation with Washington as soon as possible, Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga told a Diet panel Thursday.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>'We intend to waste no time in establishing an interception system along with a monitoring radar network in cooperation with the United States,' he said.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>Japan plans to deploy ground-based Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile interceptors by next March and sea-based Standard Missile-3 interceptors by March 2008 as the pillars of the missile defense shield.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>Nukaga made the remark before the House of Representatives Committee on Security after North Korea launched seven missiles Wednesday. During the one-hour meeting, he briefed committee members on the launches and the steps the government will take in response.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>On Wednesday, North Korea launched a long-range Taepodong-2 missile believed capable of reaching the United States, along with six shorter-range missiles. All of them crashed into the Sea of Japan near Russia.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>Japan and the United States began research on a joint missile defense in 1999 after North Korea test-fired a long-range Taepodong-1 missile the year before.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>The missile flew over Japan and fell into the Pacific, sending the Japanese public and politicians into a panic, and fueling greater calls for a missile shield.</PARAGRAPH> <SUBHEAD> Security still tight</SUBHEAD> <PARAGRAPH> Security remained tight Thursday at the nation's nuclear plants and at facilities related to a pro-Pyongyang Korean residents group in the wake of North Korea's test-launches the previous day of seven missiles, all of which landed in the Sea of Japan.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>U.S. bases also appear to be on high alert, and reconnaissance aircraft have been sent to monitor North Korean missile-related activities.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>In Fukui Prefecture, a police team specializing in guarding nuclear-related installations was deployed to keep close watch on 15 reactors. </PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>Kansai Electric Power Co., which operates three nuclear facilities in Fukui, also set up task forces to gather information. The utility usually establishes such teams if an accident occurs.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>In Niigata Prefecture, prefectural police mobilized armored vehicles on a road leading to a nuclear plant in the city of Kashiwazaki, while the Japan Coast Guard is keeping close watch on the plant around the clock from the sea.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>Police have been deployed to the Tokyo headquarters of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan –

, as rightwing groups staged protests in front of the building. Police have also been sent to Chongryun's Osaka headquarters in the event of a rightwing confrontation.