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Report on North Korean missile draws reserved remarks

Defense Agency Vice Minister Naoaki Murata on Oct. 14 expressed reservations over a recent report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies that North Korea may be able to deploy its medium-range Rodong-1 missiles by late this year.

Murata insisted his agency has not confirmed information such as the level of progress the Stalinist state has made in developing the Rodong-1 and when it would probably be deployed. But he said the agency takes seriously North Korea's development of such rocketry along with its alleged nuclear arms program. "North Korea's move will pose a serious threat not only to regional stability but also to the world," he said.

If deployed, the missile, which has a range of up to 1,000 km and is capable of carrying poison gas, would pose a serious threat to Japan because Tokyo and other major cities would fall in the weapon's attack range, according to experts. Japan itself is not yet armed with any counterattack measures against such a threat.

Touching on a test-launch of what was believed a Rodong missile into the Sea of Japan last year, Murata added that the agency has ascertained that the communist state is developing long-distance Taepodong-1 and -2 missiles with ranges of between 1,500 km and 4,000 km.