World
13:29, 11-Aug-2017
Japan says fully prepared to intercept DPRK missiles
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Tokyo has weighed in on Pyongyang's announcement it is considering firing missiles towards Guam, saying it can intercept any projectile deemed to pose an "existential threat" to Japan with its defense systems, which include the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 system (PAC-3).
Japan's Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera on Thursday told a lower house parliament committee that if the DPRK fires missiles, Japan too would face a threat. He said Japan could exercise the right to “collective" self-defense in supporting its ally.
Japan passed a law last year to allow the use of collective self-defense rights to protect its allies, if the situation was judged to be an "existential threat" to Japan. Tokyo has been pushing for a bigger role of its self-defense troops since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took office.