Japan protests N. Korea’s launch plan

[unhappycamper]

Japan protests N. Korea’s launch plan
By Jae-Soon Chang - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Mar 13, 2009 7:50:03 EDT

SEOUL, South Korea — Japan strongly protested North Korea’s planned satellite launch, warning Friday it could shoot down the rocket after Pyongyang said it would fly over Japan and designated a “danger” zone off the country’s coast.

North Korea has given U.N. agencies coordinates forming two zones where parts of its multiple-stage rocket would fall, unveiling its plan to fire the projectile over Japan toward the Pacific Ocean in the launch set for sometime between April 4-8.

One of the “danger” zones where the rocket’s first stage is expected to fall lies in waters less than 75 miles (120 kilometers) from Japan’s northwestern shore, according to coordinates released by the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Maritime Organization on Thursday.

The other zone lies in the middle of the Pacific between Japan and Hawaii.

In Tokyo, Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura told North Korea to abandon the rocket plan and said Japan was ready to defend itself.


Rest of article at: http://armytimes.com/news/2009/03/ap_Japan_Korea_031309/%2e