TOKYO, July 1. /TASS/. Japan has moved to scale down its defenses for potential missile launches from North Korea as relations between Pyongyang and Western nations seem to improve, the Asahi newspaper reported on Sunday.

Until recently, Japan had ships equipped with the US-made Aegis missile defense systems on round-the-clock duty in the Sea of Japan.

This practice was suspended on June 29, the paper said.

In case of a new missile launch by North Korea, the ships will return to their combat positions within 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the order to shoot down North Korean missiles that pose a potential threat to Japan remains in force.

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met in Singapore on June 12 signing a joint document. Pyongyang stated it was committed to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, while the US pledged to provide security guarantees to the DPRK.