Difficult for Japan to intercept North Korean missile

Japan – Tokyo: on Tuesday the foreign minister said it’s difficult to intercept from a rocket that North Korea has declare to fire next month for Japan. He added that the missile defence system has never been tested in action.

Between April 4 and 8 the North Korea has decide to launch a communications satellite. The North Korea challenge to US South Korea and some other nations in Asia who see the plan as a disguised long-range missile test.

A booster stage of the North Korean rocket expected to drop in the Sea of Japan and then pass over the north of the country.

On Monday a senior Japanese government source said that Japan would be unable to intercept the rocket from North Korea.

Hirofumi Nakasone the Foreign Minister said it was true that Japan’s missile defence had yet to be tested in action. He said "It’s a fact that it is difficult. Our country has not done this before. We don’t know how or where it will fly." He added "We will call on them (North Korea) and work as hard as possible … so that such a thing won’t happen."

Yasukazu Hamada the Defence Minister "If the rocket is on its planned course and heading to Japan in an extreme case, the missile defence system on Aegis-equipped destroyers and ground-based Patriot Advanced Capability-3 will be effective to some extent."

He added "But if it is a Taepodong missile that flies way over Japan and debris are free-falling from stages of the rocket in different sizes, it is impossible to detect their course and it is very difficult to shoot them down."

On Friday in Washington the United States, South Korea and Japan officials will meet to discuss to end North Korea’s nuclear programme and Pyongyang’s planned rocket launch.

Two high-tech Aegis-equipped destroyers carrying sea-based Standard Missile-3 interceptors and planed to deploy the one in the Sea of Japan and the other to the Pacific Ocean.

The United States had the ability to intercept a missile headed for Alaska or Hawaii. USS Stethem The U.S. Navy’s guided missile destroyer, which is based in Yokosuka near Tokyo. The Navy said was a "goodwill port visit".

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