Japan Prepares to Shoot Down North Korea's Satellite

Japan's Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada on Saturday ordered the country's military to prepare to shoot down a North Korean spy satellite should it fall within Japan's territory.

Hamada ordered the Self-Defense Forces to make necessary preparations as he could potentially "order the destruction of ballistic missiles", the Defense Ministry said in a statement, Reuters reported.

Preparations included making arrangements to deploy troops to the southern prefecture of Okinawa to "minimize damage should a ballistic missile fall."

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said preparations for the planned launch of the country's first spy satellite should proceed to counter perceived threats from the United States and South Korea, state media reported on Wednesday. [REUTERS]