Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso will order the country’s military to shoot down any ballistic missile launched by North Korea that threatens to land near Japan, reports Nikkei.

Aso will direct Defense Minister on March 27 to order Japan’s Self-Defense Forces to prepare for a possible launch, Nikkei said, citing unidentified government officials.

The North Korean premier’s regime notified international agencies last week that it plans to launch a satellite into orbit between April 4 and 8 for peaceful research purposes.

South Korea’s government and Japan have gone on record saying that the satellite plans are a cover for testing a ballistic missile. This would also be a violation of the  United Nation Security Council resolution.