Japan red-faced over mistaken N.Korean rocket report

North Korea has said it would launch a communications satellite between April 4-8 between 10:00 p.m. EDT to 3:00 p.m. EDT.

The United States, South Korea and Japan say the launch is a disguised test of the Taepodong-2 missile designed to carry a warhead capable of reaching Alaska and violates U.N. resolutions.

"We caused a great deal of trouble to the Japanese people. This was a mistake in the transmission of information by the Defense Ministry and the Self-Defense Forces," Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada told reporters, using the formal name for Japan's military. "I want to apologize to the people from my heart."

Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura also apologized for the error, which he said originated after Japanese military radar had detected "some sort of flight path."

But he dismissed any suggestion that the mistake would affect Aso's public support, which has been undermined by a series of gaffes and policy flip-flops since he took office last September.

"The people are the most interested in how we will deal with a projectile from tomorrow," Kawamura told reporters.

"We are strongly urging (the North) to refrain from launching a projectile which will hurt peace and stability in the Asia region, as it is against the (U.N.) Security Council resolution. This stance of the government remains unchanged."

Japan has deployed land and sea-based missile interceptors and ordered its military to shoot down any dangerous debris that threatens to fall on its territory if the rocket launch goes amiss, although officials say such a scenario is unlikely.

Kyodo news agency said the mistaken report occurred after data picked up by the Japanese military's ground-based radar was conveyed to the air force, then mistaken for an early warning of a satellite launch from the U.S. military and passed along to the government's crisis management center.

Poor weather may have caused North Korea to put off the launch of a rocket on Saturday, the first day of a five-day planned window for lift-off, a South Korean official was quoted as saying.

North Korea has said it would launch the long-range rocket from Saturday to Wednesday between the hours of 0200 GMT to 0700 GMT to put a satellite into orbit. The launch is viewed as a disguised test of a long-range missile that violates U.N. resolutions.

"We thought the launch was likely today, but weather conditions at the rocket base may not have been favourable," South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted a presidential Blue House official as saying.

South Korea's meteorological agency said the area on the North's north-eastern coast, the location of the missile base, was under mostly cloudy skies with occasionally strong winds. A slightly clearer day is forecast for Sunday and Monday with less wind.

In a separate report, North Korea says preparations to launch a satellite into space are complete and liftoff is imminent.

North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency cited space officials as saying preparations have concluded at the coastal launch pad in the east. A dispatch Saturday said that the satellite would be launched "soon."

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