Japan's Defence Minister, Yasukazu Hamada, has given permission for SDF to shoot down North Korea's Taepodong. Among the weapons that are being deployed is the PAC-3 or Patriot missile, which will hopefully be more effective than the Patriot missiles used by Israel to defend against Saddam Hussein's Scuds in 1991. There is doubt that they managed to shoot down even one Scud!
This blog shows the missile's likely flight path given the air routes that North Korea is closing between April 4th and April 8th.
nkeconwatch
2 comments:
While the missile - excuse me, satellite launch is provocative, to shoot it down would be even more provocative. I don't expect NK to go to war as they claim over any attempt to shoot it down, but I would expect NK to retalliate in other ways...perhaps another nuclear test.
It'll be interesting to see what happens here. They are both playing a game of brinkmanship. If the North Koreans launch their rocket/missile and Japan doesn't shoot it down then what kind of message would that be to North Korea?
The thing that the North Koreans really wouldn't expect is if the Japanese blew it up on the launchpad. But also, hugely provocative, of course.
One problem the Japanese have is that they want the North Koreans to be more forthcoming in information about the abductees to North Korea. If they blow up the rocket then there's little chance of getting any information or access to any survivors who still may be there.
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