Japan readies military to shoot down North Korean rocket

Tokyo: Japan said Wednesday it would destroy a North Korean missile if it threatened to fall on its territory, after Pyongyang announced it planned to launch a space rocket this month.

"Today the defence minister issued an order" to destroy such a missile if it "is confirmed that it will fall on Japanese territory," the defence ministry said in a statement.

Read: North Korea will pay heavy price if it launches rocket, warn US, Japan

Defence Minister Gen Nakatani issued the order, citing the "possibility that North Korea will launch a missile it calls a 'satellite' within coming days," the statement said.

Read:  After nuclear test, North Korea announces satellite rocket launch

The order will be carried out by Japan's ballistic missile defence system, which includes PAC-3 surface-to-air anti-ballistic missiles, and similar SM-3 systems aboard warships, the ministry said.

The order will be effective until February 25, it added, the end of the launch window announced by Pyongyang that begins on February 8.