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, AP reported. 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. «We can legally shoot down one for safety in case an object falls toward Japan,» he said. Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said Japan would «deal with anything that is flying toward us. We are preparing for any kind of emergency.» Japan's prime minister also expressed anger. «They can call it a satellite or whatever, but it would be a violation» of a 2006 U.N. Security Council resolution banning Pyongyang from ballistic missile activity, Taro Aso said. «We protest a launch, and strongly demand it be canceled.» Japan's Coast Guard and Transport Ministry issued maritime and aviation warnings, urging ships and aircraft to stay away from the affected regions. South Korea also warned Pyongyang. «If North Korea carries out the launch, we believe there will be discussions and countermeasures from the Security Council,» the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, referring to possible sanctions. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Thursday that a North Korean satellite or missile launch would «threaten the peace and stability in the region.»
