Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada on Saturday ordered the Self-Defense Forces to be ready to shoot down a North Korean rocket or spy satellite should it appear likely to fall on Japanese territory.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's recent order for the launch of the country’s first military spy satellite, without giving a time frame, state-run media reported. But Kim said the satellite had already been built and ordered officials to speed up preparations for its launch, a hint that it could come soon.
Hamada ordered the SDF to make needed preparations ahead of any possible "order for the destruction of ballistic missiles" or other objects, the Japanese Defense Ministry said in a statement.
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