Japan is preparing to respond to a notification from North Korea that it will launch a "satellite" as soon as this week.

It is widely suspected that the satellite will be for spy purposes and that Pyongyang will use ballistic missile technology for the launch.

Japan's government is warning people in some areas to be prepared.

North Korea's notice says the launch is planned for a period between this Wednesday and June 11.

Japanese officials say the projectile could fly over the Sakishima Islands in Okinawa Prefecture.
They say part of it could fall within three areas, two of them southwest of North Korea in the Yellow Sea and the other in the Pacific, east of the Philippines.

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio says this is a serious matter, potentially endangering the safety of the Japanese public.

Kishida said that "the Defense Minister has issued orders that any incoming ballistic missiles be destroyed in preparation for the possibility of a missile falling into Japanese territory."

The orders will allow interceptor missiles to be fired from the ground-based PAC-3 system in Okinawa Prefecture or SM3 interceptor missiles from an Aegis-equipped destroyer in the East China Sea.

North Korea has made similar announcements four times in the past, most recently in 2016. That year, parts of the missile and other objects fell in three locations in the Pacific.

Okinawa Prefecture has set up a crisis management headquarters to coordinate with other agencies and gather information.

Earlier this month, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un approved the country's first military spy satellite.

An expert says North Korea could use that satellite to improve its ability to hit targets with ballistic missiles.

Former Vice Admiral of Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force Koda Yoji said, "North Korea is enhancing its launching ability by applying ICBM technologies. Its military objective is to become capable of executing the entire process by itself by launching its own military satellite."

Observers say the actual launch date is likely to depend on the weather and other conditions.

South Korea's weather authorities are predicting generally clear skies at the launch site for the next week.