Japan has stationed Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile-defense units on Ishigaki Island since June 2023. (Japan Ministry of Defense)
CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — Japan’s Ministry of Defense is extending its deployment of Patriot missiles on Ishigaki Island ahead of an anticipated second attempt by North Korea to launch a surveillance satellite into orbit, an Ishigaki city spokesman said Monday.
The ministry and Ishigaki city agreed to extend until Aug. 31 the presence of a Patriot Advanced Capability 3, or PAC 3, missile-defense system in Painuhama, where a new beach is scheduled to open Tuesday, a spokesman for the city’s construction division told Stars and Stripes by phone. Some government spokespeople in Japan are required to speak to the media only on condition of anonymity.
Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada ordered the missiles deployed to Ishigaki in May after North Korea announced plans to launch a “military surveillance satellite between May 31 and June 11. Ishigaki, a popular tourist destination, is 266 miles southwest of Okinawa across the Miyako Strait.
The Patriot’s deployment was delayed until June 2 due to strong winds from a passing typhoon.
Japan has stationed Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile-defense units on Ishigaki Island since June 2023. (Ishigaki City)
A Joint Staff spokesman, citing “security reasons,” declined to comment Monday on details of the missile deployments on Ishigaki.
North Korea’s first attempt to launch what it called a military spy satellite failed in flight May 31 and fell into the Sea of Japan, or East Sea. A second launch will be conducted as soon as possible, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency.
“The Ministry of Defense and Self-Defense Force will analyze and evaluate the information to build up an appropriate system,” Hamada said when asked at a June 20 press conference about a second launch.
The PAC-3 units were temporarily deployed at Ishigaki and Miyako in December 2012 and in February 2016 when North Korea launched multiple missiles that passed over Okinawa. At the time, North Korea said it was launching satellites.
Multiple PAC-3 units have been stationed permanently on Okinawa since April 2013. The PAC-3 missile has a range of just over 18 miles and is designed to shoot down ballistic missiles, according to the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance.
