NKorea Missile Launch In The Ides of March?

UPDATE: The Tokyo, Japan Sankei daily newspaper is reporting that North Korea may test a long-range missile in the middle of this month to match the timing of military exercises between South Korea and the United States [CNN video].

Satellite images show a launch pad is being prepared, the report said, citing an unidentified official at Japan’s Ministry of Defense. It will take as many as seven days to load fuel once the missile is installed on the platform, the newspaper said. It has been reported that Japan may seek to shoot down the North Korean rocket should it approach the Japanese nation, [French News Video].

The United States and South Korean army will conduct military exercises between March 9 and March 20, according to the newspaper sources.

North Korea continues to prepare either a space satellite launch or a weapons missile test with the United States ready to shoot it down should President Barack Obama so direct [ABC video]. Meanwhile, The Korea Times reports that China is very likely to move to sanction North Korea if the latter goes ahead with its missile launch [video].