Japan on Monday issued an order to prepare to destroy a North Korean ballistic missile or rocket that threatens Japanese territory, the Defense Ministry said, after Pyongyang notified Tokyo of plans to launch a satellite between Wednesday and June 11.
The plan to put a satellite into orbit — the North’s first space rocket launch in more than seven years — was met with immediate condemnation.
“Any missile launch by North Korea, even if it is called a 'satellite,' is a serious violation of the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and a serious problem for the safety of people,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters.