Japan prepared for anything regarding N. Korea missiles: Suga

August 10, 2017

TOKYO- Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga on Thursday emphasized Japan's full readiness in regard to North Korea's claim that it plans to fire ballistic missiles into waters off the coast of Guam.

The plan is "a clear provocation against regional and international security and is absolutely unacceptable," the top government spokesman said at a press conference.

"We're collecting and analyzing related information with grave concern," Suga said, adding, "We're fully alert and prepared to respond to anything that may happen."

The reclusive country's state-run Korean Central News Agency, quoting a high-ranking military officer, reported Thursday that Pyongyang is considering a plan to simultaneously fire four Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missiles into waters around Guam. The report said that the missiles are expected to fly over some western Japan prefectures before reaching around the US Pacific island.

Suga said that Japan "will continue working to strengthen the Japan-US alliance's deterrent power and response capabilities." The two countries are scheduled to hold a so-called two-plus-two meeting of their foreign and defense ministers in Washington on Aug. 17.

"We're always prepared to deal with emergencies," Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera told Thursday's meeting of the Committee on Security of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament. Jiji Press