North Korea announced plans last month to launch what it says is a communications satellite from its Musudan-ri launch site in the April 4-8 period. However, the U.S., Japan and South Korea believe that the secretive state is planning to test its Taepodong-2 long-range missile.
Japan dispatched two destroyers from their base in the Nagasaki Prefecture to the Sea of Japan on Saturday prior to a planned missile launch by North Korea, the country's defense ministry announced.
A third Aegis destroyer the Kirishima, which is expected to track the missile, has also set sail from its Yokosuka base in the Kanagawa Prefecture en route to the Pacific Ocean.
Following North Korea's announcement Japan's Security Council on Friday gave approval to the defense ministry to destroy the North Korean rocket if Pyongyang goes ahead with the launch.
