Tokyo, Japan – Japan has ordered its military to be ready to destroy any missile fired by North Korea that threatens the country, local media reported Friday, as concerns mount that Pyongyang is preparing a rocket launch. Defense Minister Gen Nakatani issued the order, the Nikkei daily and Kyodo News reported, after reports of suspicious activity at Pyongyang’s main satellite complex fuelled speculation a launch could come as early as next week. A Japanese defense ministry spokeswoman declined to confirm the report when contacted by AFP, saying that ‘’would reveal our strategy.’’ ‘’But we are taking all possible measures to respond (to a missile launch) by collecting information and coordinating with countries concerned,’’ she added. North Korea is banned from using ballistic missile technology by UN Security Council resolutions, so any launch would further raise tensions among the international community only weeks after its latest nuclear test. Two US defense [...]
