Japan is planning to deploy ballistic missile interceptors on southern Okinawa and Ishigaki islands ahead of Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s rocket launch, according to local media citing a senior defense official.

The missile interceptors are aimed to guard against the possibility of a DPRK rocket falling onto Japanese territory, according to the official.

Shu Watanabe, vice Defense Minister, disclosed the locations of launching Patriot-3 missiles during a speech at the Maritime Self- Defense Force's Officer Candidate School in Etajima, Hiroshima Prefecture.

The ministry is also making arrangements to deploy Aegis destroyers to the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan to defend the capital in case the DPRK rocket veers off course, according to media reports citing ministry sources.

The DPRK announced on March 16 that it will launch in mid-April an earth observation satellite, or the Kwangmyongsong-3, using a long-range rocket to mark the 100th birthday of its late leader Kim Il-Sung.

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