As tensions increase ahead of the rocket launch, Japan's Air Self-Defense Force began deploying units capable of shooting down a rocket to the northern prefectures of Akita and Iwate.

Early today, units carrying Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles left a base in central Japan and will arrive at the northern prefectures on Monday, according to Japan's national broadcaster NHK.

On Friday Tokyo gave its military the green light to shoot down any incoming North Korean rockets.

Pyongyang has said that it will launch a communications satellite over northern Japan between April 4 and April 8, but the US and its allies in the region believe the secretive regime is actually planning illegally to test a long-range Taepodong-2 missile that could reach North America.

Japanese media claimed that spy satellites have photographed the nose cone of a long-range North Korean rocket on its launch pad.

I read, today, where Gates said that we have no intention of intervening. (sigh) Perhaps we've turned it over to the Japanese since it involves their *region*. And Iran over to Israel for the same reason.

In my very humble (and branded imperialistic) opinion, the free-world allows these boasted intentions to go unanswered to it's own detriment. Or perhaps...we're wisely waiting still and are ready for a rapid reply when the boast becomes action.