Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera has issued an order to the Self-Defense Forces to intercept any missile launched by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, media reported on Saturday.

The Aegis-equipped SDF destroyer Kirishima has been deployed to the Sea of Japan carrying long-range SM-3 interceptor missiles in line with the order, issued on Thursday, Japan's Kyodo News reported.

"The minister made the order from April 3 through to the 25 to prepare for any additional missile launches," an unnamed government source said in the report.

The order was issued on the assumption that the DPRK, which launched Rodong medium-range ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan on March 26, might fire more missiles, Kyodo reported.

It is likely to stay in effect until April 25, the anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Army, and it was kept secret to avoid revealing Japan's missile detection capabilities, the report said.

Xinhua-Reuters

(China Daily 04/06/2014 page4)