Japan orders missile defenses to prepare for N Korean rocket launch

This satellite might be important. Maybe it will be used at night to see how North Korea has no lights on at night. The country tries really hard to go green. Save electric for another day.

500 yen says the rocket fails gloriously before it even makes it south of korean peninsula.

lol japangal.

Lets hope it fails but not in a manner that it lands somewhere on southkorean or Japanese soil.

This satellite might be important.

This is not directed specifically at you JapanGal, but North Korea has a lot more important things to spend their time and money on than launching sattelites or testing weapons. Infrastructure to create jobs and foundations for the economy for example. Technology for food production, education, governmental reforms...etc, etc. Whilst people starve and are malnourished and NK relies on food donations from other countries, they continue to develop and test these missiles - often shooting them over their neighbor's landmass. It is truly pathetic and a severe miscarriage of justice when it comes to the people of NK. I hope Japan shoots it down - it should not be allowed to fly over populated areas. Imagine if it malfunctions and lands in a populated area. Unforgiveable.

The rhetoric goes on,scary to think one those politicians might make a hasty decision on the day !!! The consequences are hard to imagine.

That's a long way from the launch site to the second stage.

Does all this mean that the missile defense system is not always ready?

Does all this mean that the missile defense system is not always ready?

No, missile defense system is connected to the same power switch as the governments PR machine.

Here's what'll happen:

One day before the rocket is launched, Japanese media will announce hysterically that NK has fired a missile. When they realize they were announcing a rocket launch (not 'missile') in haste they will form a panel to justify it.

When the rocket is launched it will successfully fly over Japanese soil and land in the Pacific.

Japan will proclaim that it COULD have shot the rocket down if it wanted to, but chose not to.

The NK and J-governments alike will pat themselves on the back for increasing the needs of 'security' and further weapons spending.

It will be a massive 'embarassment' if their interception attempt fails!

smithinjapan

Here's what'll happen: One day before the rocket is launched, Japanese media will announce hysterically that NK has fired a missile. When they realize they were announcing a rocket launch (not 'missile') in haste they will form a panel to justify it. When the rocket is launched it will successfully fly over Japanese soil and land in the Pacific. Japan will proclaim that it COULD have shot the rocket down if it wanted to, but chose not to. The NK and J-governments alike will pat themselves on the back for increasing the needs of 'security' and further weapons spending.

That is one possibility, the other is:

Japan proclaims that they are ready to shoot down the rocket

North Korea launches said rocket which overflies Japan

Japan launches missile to destroy said rocket but misses causing the N Korean rocket to veer off target and crash into a Japanese city

Japan blames N Korea for this all the while stating that "there is no immediate health concerns" and pleading with people to stop spreading unfounded but ultimately accurate rumours

Japan government starts censorship of news from the impact zone

in six to 12 months we will learn that there was actually a health risk but dont worry as they feed any and all contaminated food to school kids.

To mark the 12 month anniversary the Japanese will complain that the rest of the world has forgotten them.

Sounds familiar?

It's coming! It's coming!

On the count of three, everybody duck!

One, two, three!

And North Korea mainly trying to export missile tech to... Iran.. Who sells oil to.. Japan. Maybe there is another way around this?

Are you suggesting what I think you are suggesting? That Japan try to buy the rocket off of North Korea?

Brilliant, man.

Are you suggesting what I think you are suggesting? That Japan try to buy the rocket off of North Korea?

I can't speak for that guy but, what if North Korea barters missile tech to Iran and gets oil in return and Japan barters food aid to North Korea in exchange for oil and promise not to fire the missiles at Japan?

and I do mean 'aid' because it makes things PC

190km off The Philippines - and we haven't heard any comments from them.

Why are the Japanese so worried about a N Korean satellite launch? They need to keep focused on the more immediate danger of the U.S.Marines in Futenma, lol.

Cletus: Sounds familiar indeed... too familiar in fact. The only problem is that IF Japan decides the rocket 'is a threat' and fires at it -- whether it misses or not, it will be construed as an act of war by NK. True, firing a rocket over Japanese airspace could also be called an act of war, the difference is when NK or other nations say it, there's something to be afraid of (not if Japan says it). NK was clever in stating it was going to launch a rocket in homage to Kim Jong Il, because firing at it would/will give NK any and all the fuel it needs for aggression/threats in the future, and will take everything off the table for bargaining. I realize you were being humorous, though, and I agree with what you said in terms of it being 'familiar'.

Neojamal: "I can't speak for that guy but, what if North Korea barters missile tech to Iran and gets oil in return and Japan barters food aid to North Korea in exchange for oil and promise not to fire the missiles at Japan?"

Except that you forgot Japan will renege when relatives of the abductees demand, yet again, their issue take priority over any threat to the nation as a whole.

Scanning the Aussie fish wrappers I see that the US seems to think the trajectory will be toward the south. So maybe this thing isn't coming close to Japan. But I think that shooting it down if it does launch toward Japan is a good policy. It sends NK - and China, their master - the right message.

Sometimes I can't believe the mentality of these experts here. Think about this scenario. N.Korea doesn't believe that it will receive any aid from the U.S.. "Washington had said it would deliver 240,000 tons of food aid to North Korea, which remains hampered by food shortages after a devastating famine in the 1990s. In return, Pyongyang agreed to a partial freeze on its nuclear program, to suspend missile and nuclear tests, and to allow the return of U.N. inspectors." So why is N.Korea launching a rocket? The answer is simple. Where's the 240,000 tons of food aid? It is that simple. Since they haven't received the aid yet, the N.Korean military will believe that all these negotiations are just a ploy for invasion. That's how the N.Korean's think. A few of my relatives fought in Korea and the basic psychology of the typical N.Korean is, don't trust anyone, not foreigners, not other countries, and especially not each other. Who will play the first hand in starting N.Korea? It won't be them. They won't don't trust the U.S. until the food aid arrives. Once it arrives then they will freeze their nuclear program and missile tests. They don't trust the word of the U.S. government. Do you know why? Because of the Korean war. Because of the Vietnam war. They see the U.S. as invaders, colonizers, liars - not do gooders.

I hope they have the cohones to shoot it down.

I hope Russia will call Japan and South Korea not to panic. Democratic People's Republic of Korea in full accordance with the international norms wants to start the peace satellite. Japan and South Korea has a unique chance to improve the relation, to relieve the tension and keep peace development of technologies of Democratic People's Republic of Korea. And what as a result? Petty intrigues and peep for the whole world as a result begin!

I guess, the NK mafia attempts to raise a stake in blackmailing for more aid to their starving nation. What a shame!

@Bgood41Mar. 24, 2012 - 06:01AM JST

I can remember to you what Japan lived so no good in WW2 with sanction from USA. Also Kim Chen Ir send to korean in Japan 500 000$ for help of 11/03. So some problems of 11/03 NK divide with Japan. But Japanese politics forget about it.

According to the US the missile is going to land somewhere between Australia, Indonesia and Philippines so Japan can breathe easy their inept politicians wont be able to play with their little toys and endanger anyone if this news is correct. Maybe JT should actually update the story rather than continuing the pretense of a big threat to Japan when clearly it isnt even heading this way.

@ CletusMar. 24, 2012 - 05:08PM JST

NK told that rocket only for space. i.e. not for fly to Japan. Also size of head is very small. So that rocket can not be use for a-bomb.

According to the US the missile is going to land somewhere between Australia, Indonesia and Philippines so Japan can breathe easy their inept politicians wont be able to play with their little toys and endanger anyone if this news is correct. Maybe JT should actually update the story rather than continuing the pretense of a big threat to Japan when clearly it isnt even heading this way.

You got it wrong Cletus. The problem here is that there exists a failure of NK missiles to land on their specified target like Taepodong 2.