The deployment of the Patriot PAC-3 air defense complexes was completed on Saturday in the four south-western Japanese prefectures of Kochi, Shimane, Hiroshima and Ehime. This was reported by public television NHK.
It is noted that in the near future Japan’s self-defense forces have also deployed ships equipped with the Aegis tracking and targeting system to the Pacific. These actions by the Japanese side are a response to Pyongyang’s statements about developing a plan for the launch of four Hwaseong-12 missiles that are to fly through Japan’s airspace and fall into the water 30-40 km from Guam Island, which is the possession of the United States. “We will do everything necessary to ensure safety and protect the lives and health of our people,” Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe said in connection with the situation.
This week, Washington and Pyongyang exchanged a number of sharp attacks. On Tuesday, Trump vowed to respond to Kim Jong-un’s actions with “a fire and anger that the world has never seen.” Later, the North Korean news agency KTAC reported that the Republican Army is developing a missile launching plan in the direction of Guam to demonstrate the possibility of a preemptive strike against US military facilities, including the Andersen airbase, where the B-52 strategic bombers are stationed. On Thursday, KTAC circulated a more detailed report that the development of the corresponding plan will be completed by mid-August.