Japan said yesterday it was bringing home an AEGIS-equipped destroyer from US-led exercises off Hawaii, in apparent preparation for a possible North Korean missile launch.
The Kirishima is one of four Japanese ships equipped with AEGIS, a US system designed to intercept missiles. One is temporarily out of service and the other two are reportedly deployed in waters facing North Korea.
"The Kirishima Aegis-equipped warship will be replaced by three other defense ships in the naval training," a spokesman for the Defense Agency said.
He declined to elaborate on the reasons, but Kyodo News and Jiji Press, citing unnamed officials, said the abrupt decision was due to the need to keep an eye on North Korea.
US and Asian officials have said North Korea is preparing to launch a long-range Taepodong-2 missile, capable of reaching Japan, Alaska or possibly Hawaii.
Japan had sent the Kirishima to Pearl Harbor to take part in the Rim of Pacific Exercise, considered the world's largest international sea drills, which involve eight nations every two years.
Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of North Korea's ruling communist party, on Monday denounced the US-led exercises as "provocative" and said they were aimed at Pyongyang.
RSS