AFP/Tokyo
Japan has deployed Patriot missiles in its capital as it readies to defend the 30mn people who live in greater Tokyo from any North Korean attack, officials said yesterday.
Two Patriot Advanced Capability-3 surface-to-air missile launchers were stationed at the defence ministry in Tokyo before dawn, a ministry spokesman said, while Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera said “we are proceeding with measures including deployment of PAC-3 as we are on alert”.
Local reports said batteries would be deployed in another two locations in the greater Tokyo area.
“The government is making utmost efforts to protect our people’s lives and ensure their safety,” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters yesterday morning.
“As North Korea keeps making provocative comments, Japan, co-operating with relevant countries, will do what we have to do.
“For the moment, the most important thing is to implement sanctions under the UN Security Council resolutions,” Abe said.
Tokyo’s response thus far to the threats emanating from Pyongyang has been low key and yesterday’s moves are the most visible yet that it is rattled.
On the streets of the capital, some people gave voice to that disquiet.
“If they fire a missile, there’s definitely going to be some damage. I am quite scared,” Yoshiharu Urata said.
PAC-3 batteries will also be installed in the semi-tropical island chain of Okinawa, Onodera told a television programme broadcast Monday.
He said Okinawa was “the place that is most effective in responding to emergencies... so we should deploy the unit in Okinawa on a permanent basis”.
Japan’s armed forces are authorised to shoot down any North Korean missile headed towards its territory, a defence ministry spokesman said Monday.
Officers of Japan’s Ground Self-Defence Force (SDF) walk in front of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) surface-to-air missile launchers at the Defence Ministry in Tokyo yesterday.