Japan Friday ordered its Self-Defense Forces to destroy debris from Pyongyang's rocket in the event that its launch fails and fragments fall into the Japanese territory, announced Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada.
"I issued a necessary order to Self-Defense Force units to prepare for an event in which a North Korea (DPRK)'s projectile falls onto our country in an accident," Hamada told reporters.
"We will do everything to deal with any flying object to assure the Japanese people's safety and security," he said after meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso.
The unprecedented decision was made at a meeting of the Security Council of Japan, the nation's top security panel.
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has said it will launch a communications satellite in April.
Japan, the United States and South Korea suspect Pyongyang's planned launch may be a test-firing of a ballistic missile.
Japan is concerned that if the launch fails, rocket debris, such as boosters, may fall somewhere in northeastern Japan, over which the rocket is expected to fly.
Local media have reported Japan is to deploy two Aegis-equipped destroyers in the Sea of Japan and Patriot interceptors in northern prefectures of Akita and Iwate.
It is also reported that four Patriot fire units will also be deployed in and around Tokyo, including on the premises of the Defense Ministry headquarters near the Imperial Palace to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
Earlier this week, Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone said the country is not sure if the interception could be successful as it has no experience.
However, Defense Minister Hamada on Friday said Japan is totally prepared and he "had no doubt we can do it."
Some critics said the Japanese government intentionally played up the threat of the launch to ratify the establishment of its own missile defense system. And the Japanese Communist Party expressed objection on the ground that the destruction would waste all diplomatic efforts in the six-party talk framework.
On the other hand, the Japanese government also tried to downplay the possibility of a rocket dropping onto Japan's territory and to?calm down the public.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura told a news conference on Friday morning that he believed "it normally wouldn't fall onto our country's sphere. I call on the Japanese people to lead their lives and go about their business normally."
Friday's order is the first Japan has issued against potential threats posed by a ballistic missile or similar objects since the country began building an antiballistic missile shield in 2003.
(Xinhua News Agency March 27, 2009)