Japan and the United States have agreed to deploy advanced Patriot interceptor missiles on US bases in Japan for the first time, amid concerns North Korea may test-fire a long-range ballistic missile.

Japan has dispatched ships and planes to monitor North Korea amid regional jitters about a possible long-range missile launch.

Japan’s defence chief visited Japanese troops in southern Iraq amid rising expectations that Tokyo will extend its humanitarian mission there into next year, local news agencies said.

Iraq’s foreign minister today asked Japan’s premier and its defence chief to extend Tokyo’s deployment of about 600 troops to southern Iraq.

The apparent kidnapping of a Japanese man by a militant group in Iraq will not affect Tokyo’s troop deployment there, Japan’s defence chief said today as officials vowed to make every effort to win his release.

Japan is preparing to send hundreds of soldiers and several aircraft to Southeast Asia where memories of the imperial army’s brutal Second World War regime is still strong.

Three people were reported dead and around 200 injured after three strong earthquakes shook north-western Japan within minutes of each other today.

Japan ordered riot police to patrol airports and guard nuclear plants and beefed up security at other key facilities nationwide, in a precaution against terror attacks as the country deploys troops in Iraq.

North Korea may have test-fired a short-range missile off its eastern coast, the Japanese government said. It was the first suspected missile launch by Pyongyang since a test in April.

THE US air force was yesterday preparing to resume spy flights off the coast of North Korea, while a Japanese report said the North may soon test-fire a missile that could reach nearly all of Japan.

An unidentified fishing boat which defence officials said might have been spying was sunk off southwestern Japan after trading shots with Japanese coast guard vessels, officials said today.

US deputy secretary of defence Richard Armitage met senior Japanese officials today to discuss President George W Bush’s plans to build a defence against missile attack.

Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori has been berated for finishing a round of golf after hearing about the submarine accident off Hawaii that left nine Japanese people missing.