Japanese Navy ship carrying missile interceptors leaves for southern Japan

TOKYO, Feb 4 (KUNA) -- Japan's navy vessel carrying missile interceptors left for the southern Japanese prefecture of Okinawa Thursday in preparation for North Korea's planned missile launch later this month.
With ground-to-air Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) the launchers and other equipment on board, the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) transport ship left its base in western Japan.
Last Wednesday, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani issued an order to shoot down any North Korean missile or debris threatening to fall onto the Japanese territory.
The ministry has been beefing up security measures following Pyongyang's notification of a satellite launch, which is widely believed to be a long-range ballistic missile.
With the order effective until February 25th, three Aegis destroyers equipped with Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) interceptor systems are deployed in to the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea.
Last Tuesday, North Korea notified UN agencies that it will launch what it claims would be a satellite between February 8-25.
According to the statement, the rocket may pass over the Sakishima Islands in Okinawa.
The MSDF ship is expected to arrive in the island prefecture for deployment of the PAC-3 in area near the planned flight path.
The ministry has already deployed PAC-3 interceptor units at several locations in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Japan's missile defense system has two-phases, in which an incoming ballistic missile is first countered by SM-3 interceptors from Aegis ships at sea when the missile is still outside the atmosphere.
If SM-3s miss the target, PAC-3s from the ground will intercept it. The North last fired long-range ballistic missile in December 2012, what it claimed was a satellite for peaceful purposes. (end) mk.mb