TOKYO, April 22 ― Japan's Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada today ordered the country's military to prepare to shoot down a North Korean spy satellite should it fall within Japan's territory.

Hamada ordered the Self-Defence Forces to make necessary preparations as he could potentially "order the destruction of ballistic missiles”, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

Preparations included making arrangements to deploy troops to the southern prefecture of Okinawa to "minimise damage should a ballistic missile fall.”

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said preparations for the planned launch of the country's first spy satellite should proceed to counter perceived threats from the United States and South Korea, state media reported on Wednesday. ― Reuters