Japan to deploy new anti-missile system

Tokyo, Sep 19 (IANS) Japan will install a new anti-missile system on Hokkaido island on Tuesday after North Korea tested two missiles that flew over its territory, a Defence Ministry official said.

The decision to install the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) interceptor in a military base in Hakodate city comes after Pyongyang conducted its latest launch of a medium-range missile that fell into the Pacific Ocean after flying over northern Japan on September 15, the official told Efe news.

Pyongyang, which threatened to "sink" Japan with a nuclear bomb for backing the US-led sanctions, fired another missile on August 29. That too flew over northern Japan.

The official added that Japan was monitoring North Korea's movements for another possible missile launch.

Japan had deployed anti-missile systems in western Japan last month after Pyongyang threatened to launch four missiles towards the US island of Guam, which would cross above the region.

The September 15 launch took place less than two weeks after Pyongyang carried out its sixth and most powerful nuclear test on September 3, which led to fresh sanctions by the UN Security Council, including curbs on its imports of oil products and a ban on its textile exports.

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