Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper says North Korea is showing signs of test-launching a Rodong ballistic missile, which has the range to cover most of the Japanese archipelago.

The daily said Wednesday that Japan's Defense Agency has dispatched an Aegis-equipped Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer and an electronic surveillance aircraft to the East Sea to increase its early warning and surveillance abilities in the area.

Quoting several sources, the reports said Washington and Tokyo confirmed earlier on Tuesday that North Korean military vehicles, soldiers and missile engineers have been converging on several Rodong missile bases, mainly in the eastern part of the communist state. The confirmation was reportedly made after Washington and Tokyo analyzed data from reconnaissance satellites and radio communications.

Quoting missile experts, the daily said it would take anywhere from several days to two weeks to prepare for an actual launch.

A Rodong missile has a range of about 1,300 kilometers and can strike anywhere in Japan with the exception of Okinawa Prefecture and a few remote areas.