Japan gave its military the green light on Friday to shoot down any incoming North Korean rocket, with tensions high ahead of a planned launch that the US and allies say will be an illegal missile test.
Japanese and US warships have already deployed ahead of the April 4-8 window, when the secretive North has said it will launch a communications satellite — warning that shooting it down would be seen as an act of war.
But South Korea, Japan and the United States have all warned the North that any launch would be unacceptable, amid fears the regime is actually intending to test a long-range missile that could reach North America.
The security council in Japan, officially pacifist since the end of World War II, decided ahead of time to shoot down any incoming missile that could hit its territory rather than wait until a launch.
“The security council this morning decided to issue a destruction order in advance,” said Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada. “We will do our best to handle any flying object from North Korea.”
The North said Thursday that even referring a launch to the United Nations would ruin the long-running and erratic six-nation nuclear disarmament talks, during which North Korea has already tested one missile and an atomic bomb.
March 27th, 2009 at 7:06 am
“illegal”? american thugs kill almost 2 million based on a lie to date. yet n. koreans can’t do what every other western scumbag nation does.
fear the n. koreans they’ve been having their way with asia.
you twats floor me.
fuck off fat boy and eat your big mac then butcher each other in the soup lines you idiots
other than that i like you guys
morgnstrn Reply:
March 27th, 2009 at 9:58 am
Youre a DoucheBag, Shut the fuck up.
CARLOS BELTRAN Reply:
March 30th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Hey douche whosh, read the headline “japan-says-ready-to-shoot-down-nkorea-missile” DUH japan japan japan, if you want to bad mouth the us at least do it on an article about the us…
March 27th, 2009 at 7:35 am
I can’t wait to see what happens!! I love fireworks!!
March 27th, 2009 at 9:55 am
everyone kill each other that will solve everything. LOL
March 27th, 2009 at 11:25 am
Whoever has the most and most powerful guns in the end wins. Wrong answer!
March 27th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
Let us nuke North Korea and liberate the peasants.
March 29th, 2009 at 3:26 am
North Korea has the right to launch this rocket.
Sorry! Only US brain washed would say no.