Japan was on high alert on Thursday as North Korea is set to launch a rocket despite opposition by the international community, which sees the launch as a cover for a ballistic missile test.
"We want to call (on North Korea) for restraint until the very end, but we are fully prepared to deal with any contingency," Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda told reporters upon arriving at his office before 7 a.m.
North Korea has said it will launch a rocket carrying a satellite sometime between Thursday and next Monday, with liftoff taking place between 7 a.m. and noon.