North Korea rocket set for imminent lift off "We are taking these steps as a precaution for an emergency situation," Osamu Fujimura, the chief cabinet secretary, said on Wednesday. I would ask the general public to remain calm. Earlier in the week, David Cameron and Yoshihiko Noda, the Japanese prime minister, agreed to request action from the United Nations Security Council if North Korea goes ahead with the launch. Tokyo has stationed Aegis destroyers in the Sea of Japan and batteries of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 interceptors in Okinawa, which is on the anticipated flight path of the rocket. The US has agreed to support similar action in the UN.