Japan increasingly nervous about North Korean missiles

To take a bit further.....ANY missile fired from NK should be shot down, no matter what trajectory. With Japan so near, reaction time is critical. This lunatic has opened the door for a "Missle Supression" stance from Japan, USA, and South Korea.

Japan just needs to send Kim a shipment of snicker bars.

Japan are right to be vigilent, and given the timbre of the fools rhetoric emanating from the place, should shoot down anything that comes their way.

But regardless of how much North Korea puff up on their perch, at this point it's still just flap jawing. They will get hammered if they actually trigger anything serious.

And a bunker buster through Mr Kim's Disney compound, as well as that of his military leaders, won't be the worst thing that could happen for the North Korean people, who surely deserve better.

The USA or any other well armed country would NOT level the North Korea, nor use any nuclear arms. I would think that the US would hit precise targets to take out the current regime and the main strong hold of arms. No matter how brain washed the people are if they are killed as civilians, public opinion would change in no time.

@IRobin: Sorry buddy. The Chinese military is no match for The United States. They have nothing that matches the fire power of the good ole US of A.

And please don't say that China has the biggest standing army...sure they do..but a few well placed Nukes takes care of that.

In 20 years however..different story maybe. Now, no way.

10 minutes to react...damn. I hope that if this does happens the auto defense can hit the rockets heading at us. Even if they did hit us, the U.S would hit back 1000 x stronger and level the North.

Whatever happens, if North Korea launches any sort of missile, even if it's a "test launch", the US and Japan need to shoot it down. I know they've allowed North Korea to test missiles by shooting them over Japan before but with all this saber rattling from NK, they need to shoot it down to let them know that Japan and it's allies won't take their BS anymore.

Is anybody else having flashbacks to the Cold War? As much as I am sure his threats are hollow I do agree that neighboring nations should be ready to react. The biggest problem is, NK's technologies are pretty far behind the rest of the world and if they do attempt a nuclear strike the damn thing could go anywhere.

First off, NK is bluffing. Lil Kim doesn't have the balls.

But for argument sake, if they were to launch missiles towards Japan and they purposely targeted non -military assets such as Tokyo etc... the US / Japan counter attack would be devastating. The nation of North Korea would be wiped off the planet. Any military leader who survived would be put on trial and executed swiftly for war crimes.

If they targeted military assets, USA bases in South Korea, Japan, Guam, possibly Hawaii, etc... the counterattack again would also be devastating.

People talk about China. China has had it up to their eyeballs with the BS coming out of NK. They wouldn't side against the USA. China may bark if the US invaded, but they aren't big enough to take on the USA militarily. Not even close.

It is a no win situation whatever NK decides to do.

This N.K. mafia kid not only has big tummy, but big mouth as well. Any firing missile attack to U.S. bases in the region will be "the missile of death" for the abusers of N.K. peoples. The world should encourage them to do so. After the casualties of war, many N.Koreans will find the day light instead of worshiping these cult leaders; for China will be next. Japan should not worry, if crisis getting too intense, just send a bunch of anti war liberals to play basket ball with the kid. If it is not working, launch them to intercept any coming missile to Japan. WAR IS A TERRIBLE THING, AND THE BEST WAY TO WIN THE WAR IS TO SUBDUE THE ENEMY FROM EVEN FIRING A SHOT IN THE FIRST PLACE. In this case, a strong deterrence defense policy is the way to go for assurance the survival of Japan into the future. Cheers.

Regardless of whom North Korea strikes — with a nuclear or conventional weapon — it can be assured of one thing: a devastating counterattack by the United States.

The insane idiots who claim to lead North Korea are totally out of control they should be put down like mad dogs if they attack Japan or anyone else.The world can no longer afford such stone age threats and bullying. Enough is enough.

The biggest problem is, NK's technologies are pretty far behind the rest of the world and if they do attempt a nuclear strike the damn thing could go anywhere.

There missiles have a 1% success rate of hitting a target (typical rate ~90%).

Michishita, in an analysis published late last year, said a Rodong missile launched from North Korea would reach Japan within five to 10 minutes and, if aimed at the center of Tokyo, would have a 50-percent probability of falling somewhere within the perimeter of Tokyo’s main subway system.

-This is a country that cannot even manufacture a bicycle. People need to stop all the saber-rattling and fear mongering here and let Korea take care of this.

Regardless of whom North Korea strikes — with a nuclear or conventional weapon — it can be assured of one thing: a devastating counterattack by the United States.

That is a fact. The doughboy whackjob is in serious need of a tomahawk enema.

Olegek said: Of course

Vietnamese can prove it ...

haha..Do you even know anything about the Vietnam war? The US government wouldn't allow the military to cross over into North Vietnam. can't win a war when you aren't allowed t enter the enemies homeland! If they had been allowed to, they would of easily won. If they had been authorized to use Nukes, game over for the commies....LOL!

If there is a conflict with NK, I'm betting the gloves will come off...and when they come off..I wouldn't want to be on the opposite side of the only country to ever have used Nuclear weapons during wartime!

Oorah!!!! God Bless the United States Marine Corps!

The US and South Korea won't stop there at just taking out military assets. This will be an all out invasion. Not too many dictators left in the world and a lunatic with possible nuclear capability will not be allowed to regain power if he does something as dumb as launching missiles toward Japan...etc. Still not sure what his endgame is.

The big question is, will the missile defence systems actually work?

http://scienceandglobalsecurity.org/archive/sgs04wright.pdf (CEP rates for Nodong missile)

http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/conf_proceedings/2007/CF152.pdf (no CEP, newer)

On the bright side, if North Korea ever hit Japan, the people of North Korea would never experience hunger again.

One thing that all this has convinced me of is that North Korea must not be allowed to continue with their nuclear program, even if it means taking out this regime. No country that is irresponsible enough to publically threaten a pre-emptive nuclear strike on another country has the right to have any such weapons and the world must put a stop to it.

North Korean missiles armed with non-nuclear conventional explosives could kill and maim hundreds if not thousands of people in Japan. This threat needs to be taken seriously.

If they had been authorized to use Nukes, game over for the commies....LOL!

So without nukes US ARMY - can't do anything ?

Serrano North Korean missiles armed with non-nuclear conventional explosives

In such case it will be US attack long time ago

Alas....

Kim Jong-un has Russian nukes/rockets technologies of the 50 th ....

I am worried about the lack or severe shortage of nuclear shelters in Japan.

The Chinese military is no match for The United States. They have nothing that matches the fire power of the good ole US of A

Of course

Vietnamese can prove it ...

The Chronic China may bark if the US invaded, but they aren't big enough to take on the USA militarily. Not even close.

This is not true, China always show weak when there is no need a war. But then the time come, China never retreated. About Taiwan in 1998, Korea war in 1962 ...

Actually the USA are not big enough to take a war with China. Because if China fail the war, the USA will lose the top military forces in the world. this is not what the smart American want.

To be good to your neighbours, this is the best way.

Evidences shows even N.korea can resist the USA, all the military manoevares just looks like a jok now.

So what is the right way to take?

Possible terrorist attack, to catalyze a war. Would it be Malaysia, NKor's next victim? I hope not.

I just wish Obama would quit invading Iraq, wihile he was a member of the Illinois State Assembly.

worry not, this land of lotus is safe in the hands of US and Buddha !