Former Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto and retired Maritime Self-Defense Force Vice Adm. Toshiyuki Ito appeared on the “Shinso News” program on BS NTV on Aug. 22, where they discussed North Korea’s ballistic missiles.

Commenting on the DPRK’s threat to fire missiles over Japan toward Guam, Morimoto said: “Unless the U.S. creates a way forward to dialogue, I think missiles will actually be launched.”

Ito pointed out that “if the missiles deviate just slightly, they could end up in U.S. territorial waters, and this would be a basis (for the U.S.) to declare it will exercise its right to self-defense,” indicating that it is possible that missiles may be launched.

Morimoto and Ito were in agreement that North Korea’s missiles would be “difficult to intercept” using Japan’s current missile defense systems.