Japan ready to shut down North Korean rocket

Japan vowed on Wednesday to shoot down any missiles or rockets fired over its territory after North Korea announced plans to launch a satellite in the coming days.

Japan's defence minister ordered the deployment of Aegis destroyers in the Sea of Japan and Patriot missile batteries on land, hours after North Korea confirmed that it was preparing to launch the satellite – an act that would inevitably use a banned long-range rocket.

North Korea on Tuesday informed international organisations of its plans to launch an Earth observation satellite on a rocket between February 8-25.