Japan lifts order to destroy DPRK's missiles

TOKYO - The Japanese government lifted Friday an order issued in April to stand ready to shoot down missiles launched by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea ( DPRK) in the event that any debris or the missiles that would land in Japan, reported local media.

Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera, who issued the order, decided to lift it at a meeting with senior defense officials late Friday, but the decision was not officially announced, according to Japan's Kyodo News.

The report said that the decision came after the government considered that the situation on the Korean Peninsula has calmed down as the DPRK stopped provocations and called for talks with the United States.

The peninsula's situation worsened after the DPRK conducted its third nuclear test in February.

Japan on April 7 issued the order and deployed destroyers with missile interceptors on the Sea of Japan and placed Patriot Advanced Capability-3 interceptors on the ground.