Special report: DPRK to Launch Satellite, U.S., S Korea Hold Drill

    TOKYO, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Japan is checking the details of the reports that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) notified international agencies of its planned satellite launch earlier in the day, Vice Defense Minister Kohei Masuda said Thursday.

    "We have taken note of such reports but are still examining the factual details," Masuda said at a press conference.

    Japan calls on the DPRK to refrain from the launching action that will undermine peace and stability of the region, Masuda said.

    Japan may shoot down the satellite, which is believed by many to be a long-range ballistic missile "Taepodong-2", Kyodo News reported, citing a senior official from the defense ministry.

    "We still don't know where it may go even if North Korea (the DPRK) tells its direction beforehand," the official was quoted as saying.

    "We won't shoot if there is no possibility that the missile would fall onto Japan, but it could still fall onto Japan if it flies over it," he said.

    The DPRK says that it is to send up a communication satellite as part of a peaceful space program, but countries such as the United States, Japan and South Korea believe that it may in fact plan to test-fire a long-range ballistic missile "Taepodong-2".

    South Korea, Japan and the United States have warned Pyongyang not to test-fire a missile. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has urged the DPRK to stop its "provocative actions", saying a missile test would "be very unhelpful".