TOKYO - Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force's Aegis ship Kirishima on Saturday morning left its Yokosuka base for the East China Sea before a rocket launch by the Domestic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), according to local media reports.

Kirishima was carrying sea-based interceptor missiles and will be deployed on the sea with two other Aegis ships, which together are ready to destroy the rocket in outer space if it begins falling into Japanese territory, said local media.

Meanwhile, the ground-based Patriot Advanced Capability-3 interceptors will also be deployed on Miyako Island, Okinawa Prefecture.

The DPRK announced earlier it would launch an "earth observation" satellite, or the Kwangmyongsong-3, using a long- range rocket to mark the 100th birthday of late leader Kim Il-sung. The satellite is scheduled to be launched from a station in North Phyongan province between April 12 and 16.