Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday (April 9) pledged to take "every possible precaution" ahead of a possible North Korean attack, as Japan deployed Patriot missile interceptors across the country.

The country's defence ministry rolled out Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) interceptors at its headquarters in central Tokyo early on Tuesday. Other surface-to-air missiles have been deployed nationwide, including at military bases around the capital.

While North Korea has showed no sign of mobilising its 1.2 million-strong army, media reports last week suggest Pyongyang may have moved what appears to be mid-range Musudan missile to its east coast, putting Japan in range of a missile strike.

Japan has refused to comment in detail on the deployments, saying it does not want to reveal operational details to North Korea or alarm the public.

In the past, Japan has deployed the ground-based PAC-3 interceptors, as well as Aegis radar-equipped destroyers carrying Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) interceptors in the run-up to North Korean rocket launches.

Presented by Adam Justice

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https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/north-korea-missile-japan-interceptor-tokyo-pyongyang-454992