Pat Dollard

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TOKYO, April 4 (AP) – (Kyodo)—The Japanese government went on emergency alert on Saturday ahead of North Korea’s imminent launch of a communications satellite, which Japan sees as a cover for test-firing a long-range ballistic missile.

The Self-Defense Forces have readied themselves to shoot down the launch vehicle if it is seen falling toward Japanese territory. The projectile is expected to fly over northeastern Japan after the launch, which North Korea has said will take place sometime between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. between Saturday and Wednesday.

Japan and North Korea are in the same time zone.

Prime Minister Taro Aso is expected to stay in his official residence and will immediately move to his office if the launch is confirmed. The office is expected to release information immediately on the launch.

Cabinet members belonging to the Security Council of Japan such as Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura, Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada and Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone are also expected to be on standby in Tokyo.

The Crisis Management Center at the prime minister’s office has also beefed up staff to gather information and has got ready to provide information on the launch to local governments and media organizations.

The government has relocated Patriot ground-to-air guided missile launch units to Akita and Iwate prefectures in northeastern Japan and sent two destroyers equipped with Standard Missile-3 interceptors in the Sea of Japan and another destroyer to the Pacific Ocean to track the projectile.

The central government has readied itself to notify local governments and media organizations in five to ten minutes if North Korea launches what it sees as a missile.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura is then expected to meet the press to provide information on the launch as well as the projectile’s flight.

The launch would also be followed by a meeting at the prime minister’s office of Aso, Kawamura, Nakasone and Hamada to convene a session of the Security Council for analyzing information.

The Japanese government is also planning to present a draft resolution to the U.N. Security Council.

On March 12, North Korea informed the International Maritime Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization of information concerning launching Kwangmyongsong-2, an experimental communications satellite, to be carried on launch vehicle Unha-2.

On March 25, satellite images showed what appears to be a Taepodong-2 missile positioned on a launch pad at a facility in Musdan-ri in the northeastern coastal region.

Japan, the United States and South Korea believe the launch will be a cover for testing a long-range ballistic missile, which would violate a U.N. Security Council resolution barring the North from any ballistic activity.