Japan keeps close contact with allies on DPRK

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tuesday that his country will keep close contact with its allies to cope with a possible missile launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), local media reported.

Abe said the DPRK is continuing its provocations and Japan will take every possible measure to protect the Japanese people, adding UN resolutions on the DPRK should be implemented, according to Japan's Kyodo News Agency.

Abe added that Japan will closely and calmly cooperate with its allies to prepare for the possible ballistic missile launch.

Meanwhile, Japan's Defense Ministry deployed Tuesday a Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile interceptor in central Tokyo, the capital of Japan, in a move to prepare for the DPRK's missile launch.

Kyodo said the PAC-3 will also be deployed at Asaka and Narashino in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera on Sunday issued an order to the Self-Defense Forces to shoot down missiles launched by the DPRK if they are heading Japan or may land on Japan's territory.

Japanese warships with defense missile systems have also been deployed on the Sea of Japan.

The Japanese government confirmed that the DPRK transferred a medium-range missile to the country's east coast as part of efforts to fight against provocations of the United States and its allies.

Situation in the Korean Peninsula has been tense since the DPRK carried out its third nuclear test in February, announced nullification of the 1953 armistice that suspended the Korean War and reopened its nuclear reactor complex to counteract joint US- South Korean war games.