Japanese intelligence sources have no information on reported preparations by North Korea for another launch of its Taepodong-1 ballistic missile, Defense Agency Director General Hosei Norota said Tuesday.
The new defense chief did not substantiate reports by a South Korean newspaper that said intelligence authorities in South Korea, the United States and Japan have confirmed that a truck that left a missile production factory Nov. 3 in Pyongyang had arrived at a missile launch site in Musudan, 400 km northeast of the capital.
The report quotes the intelligence sources as saying that they suspect two Taepodong-1 intermediate-range ballistic missiles were aboard the truck.
According to the report, the sources also said the injection of fuel into the missiles is already under way and a launch is likely by the end of this month or early next month -- taking into account that the fuel injection process usually takes three to five weeks.
Norota said the agency has received no such information from the U.S. side, either.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.