Spy plane ... US Global Hawk
THE US is to station a spy plane in Japan to boost surveillance over North Korea after the rogue state moved missiles to its east coast.
The unmanned Global Hawk will be based at the American airfield in Misawa.
It is the first-ever deployment of the aircraft in the country, according to Japan’s Sankei Shimbun newspaper.
The dramatic development came as crackpot Korean dictator Kim Jong-un moved two potential nuclear missiles in a further threat to Japan, South Korea - and US Pacific bases.
North Korea also sparked fears yesterday that it could trigger a nuclear strike as early as next
WEDNESDAY.
US President Barack Obama is also reportedly pressuring China to crack down on increasingly-belligerent tyrant Kim.
North Korea warned diplomats including British staff they may not be safe in the country after April 10 if war breaks out.
The Americans will now reportedly use spy planes to keep tabs on North Korea’s missile capabilities.
Sky News correspondent Mark Stone said: "In the skies above the Korean Peninsula there are spy planes operating.
"There will be drones - American drones - operating before long from a base in Japan.
Rocket ... North Korea parades its Musudan missiles through Pyongyang last year
"They are trying to get as much of a sense as possible of what it is that Kim Jong-un is doing on the ground with his weaponry.”
Kim’s regime issued a chilling threat to British diplomats, warning them to get out of Pyongyang. Russian diplomats have also been advised to evacuate.
It is still unclear why next Wednesday has been set as a deadline – but it is sure to spark fears despot Kim will launch an attack after that date.
This week South Korean workers employed in factories in the North were also told to leave by April 10.
On Friday the British Foreign Office confirmed it has “no immediate plans to withdraw our embassy” in Pyongyang and said it condemned the “provocation” by the North Korean government.
A spokesman went on: “The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has responsibilities under the Vienna Convention to protect diplomatic missions and we believe they have taken this step as part of their continuing rhetoric that the US poses a threat to them.”
The FO declined to disclose how many staff are working in Pyongyang. "We are considering next steps," the spokesman added.
Troops ... South Korean female army reservists raise their hands to adopt a resolution against North Korea
Pledge ... South Korea is currently engaged in joint military exercises with the US
Two rockets have been loaded onto mobile launchers and hidden in special underground facilities on North Korea's east coast, according to a government official.
The official added: “The North is apparently intent on firing the missiles without prior warning.”
The range of the second missile is unknown though it is believed to be an inter-continental ballistic KN-08 missile, which is untested by the regime.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon has pledged to tone down pronouncements about the US military build-up after the crisis on the Korean peninsula threatens to spiral out of control.
In recent days, the US has flown two B-2 stealth bombers over South Korea and announced an expansion of missile defence systems in Alaska and on the island of Guam.
But rather than encouraging North Korea to back down, the US's military movements have prompted even greater threats and belligerent rhetoric from Pyongyang.
Drills ... South Korean soldiers prepare to fire a howitzer during a military exercise
One US official said: “Our actions thus far have had their intended effect: they've shown our deterrence capability and our willingness to defend South Korea.
“We always make adjustment and if going quiet for a short period of time gives the North Koreans space to dial back their rhetoric, fine.”
However, Washington still plans to forge ahead with joint military exercises with the South regime in Seoul – including an amphibious assault drill branded by the North as “rehearsal for invasion”.
The exercises codenamed Foal Eagle began on March 1 and will end on April 30.
Some US analysts expressed alarm over the intensity of the North’s threats. Centre for Strategic Studies senior adviser Victor Cha said: “The rhetoric is off the charts.”
Young ... a South Korean soldier stands on a military guard post near the demilitarised zone
The Philippines has said it is ready to help the US amid threatened attacks from North Korea, the country’s foreign minister said, hinting at the possibility of more US military bases there.
US forces have previously used military bases and civilian airports in the Philippines to repair and refuel aircraft and warships deployed in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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