Tokyo, March 24 (Xinhua) The Japanese Cabinet passed an emergency guideline under which the defence minister can issue immediate orders to intercept incoming ballistic missiles being fired toward the country, Kyodo News said.

According to the new emergency guidelines passed Friday, the defence minister can issue an order without gaining approval from the prime minister for the Self-Defence Forces (SDF)to intercept incoming ballistic missiles when there are suspicions that they have been fired toward Japan or when it is feared satellite-launch rockets may crash in the country.

Tokyo is to deploy ground-based Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile interceptors at the Air Self-Defence Force' Iruma base in Saitama Prefecture on March 29. Kyuma also suggested the government will study it further in accordance with planned deployments of PAC-3 and Standard Missile-3 interceptor systems at several other bases.

In July 2005, Japan launched a legal framework for the operation of the missile shield by revising the SDF Law. The new SDF Law says that under "an emergency response guideline," the defence minister will issue an order for the SDF to prepare to intercept a missile without obtaining the prime minister's approval when time does not allow.