A Patriot PAC-3 missile system, the first element of Japan's planned missile shield, was deployed at the Air Self-Defense Force base in Iruma, Saitama Prefecture, early Friday, ASDF officials in Tokyo said.
The deployment at Iruma, which has been tasked with defending Tokyo, was moved up by about a year from originally planned after North Korea test-fired several ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan in July.
Ten trailers carrying the mobile antiballistic missile system, including a radar system, a fire-control system, an information coordination center and two launch platforms -- entered the base at around 5:13 a.m.