North Korea has reportedly notified Japan of its plan to launch a rocket carrying a space satellite in the coming days. 

According to Japan’s Kyodo News and NHK, the Cabinet Secretariat said it received a notice from North Korea early Monday that the launch window is between May 27 and June 4.

The North reportedly notified Japan that the launch could affect two areas in the Yellow Sea southwest of North Korea and one area of the Pacific Ocean to the east of the Philippines, all outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

The notice came as South Korea, Japan and China are set to hold a trilateral summit on Monday morning in Seoul. 

The Japan Coast Guard urged vessels operating in the waters to be on alert for any falling objects between Monday and midnight on June 4.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ordered his government to collect and analyze information on the launch and cooperate with South Korea and the United States to strongly urge a suspension of the launch. He also instructed relevant ministries to make every effort to prepare for unexpected situations.

[Photo : YONHAP News]