Japan's defense minister has ordered interceptor missile units to prepare for the DPRK's planned rocket launch next month. Tokyo took the same measures in 2009, in anticipation of a previous DPRK satellite test. The "Unha-3" rocket is expected to fly over western Japan including part of Okinawa, raising concerns that a failed launch, or a falling stage of the rocket, could endanger Japanese lives or property. Naoki Tanaka, Japanese Defense Minister, said, "Earlier today, the Defense Ministry ordered the Self Defense force to prepare for deployment of destroyers and mobile missile launchers. The decision was made following the DPRK's recent announcement of the launch, ordering the Air Defense Command and other defense forces to make necessary preparations to be readied in areas near the planned trajectory."

日本政府23日指示航空自卫队做好准备，激活防空系统，以应对朝鲜计划中的卫星发射。与此同时，田中直纪当天下令在冲绳岛及附近地区和海域部署“爱国者3”型拦截导弹和装备标准3”型海基拦截导弹的宙斯盾级战舰。日本专家先前判断，如果朝鲜发射卫星、运载火箭进入日本空域，最有可能从冲绳上空掠过。朝鲜方面上星期宣布定于4月12日至16日发射“光明星3号”观测卫星，以纪念4月15日的金日成百年诞辰纪念日。届时，“银河3号”运载火箭将从朝鲜平安北道铁山郡的西海卫星发射场向南发射。田中直纪19日回应，就朝鲜运载火箭可能经过日本上空或在日本境内坠落的情况，考虑向自卫队下达用弹道导弹防御系统拦截火箭的命令。