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North Korea regularly promises to reduce Japan to “debris” in state-sponsored news broadcasts but these sabre-rattling claims have escalated wildly in recent days. With US president Donald Trump threatening North Korea with “fire and fury” earlier this week, the rogue state has launched a terrifying war of words with its Western rivals. And Japan is caught squarely in North Korea’s cross-hairs, with terrifying maps revealing yesterday just how many countries are vulnerable to a Kim Jong-un missile attack. Tokyo has now ordered the strengthening of its major cities, with missiles and anti-missile defence systems rushed to Hiroshima, Shimane and Kochi.

In pictures: North Korea holds mass rally to protest U.N. sanctions Thu, August 10, 2017 Tens of thousands of North Koreans were pictured on the streets on the same day tensions between the pariah state and the United States escalated following President Donald Trump's threats of "fire and fury." Play slideshow 1 of 9

These three areas are particularly at risk as any North Korea missile fired at the US territory of Guam would pass directly overhead. While Pyongyang said any missile would be aimed to miss the island and merely used to send a warning, any malfunction of the missile over Japan could put hundreds of thousands of people at risk - and given North Korea's patchy success record in missile launches, this is a major threat. Missile systems have also been stationed outside the Defence Ministry in Tokyo, pointing skywards.

GETTY / REUTERS North Korea latest: Japan has rushed missiles to major cities

We cannot tolerate such a clear provocative act Defence minister Itsunori Onodera

These could be used to intercept “missiles or missile debris” heading towards major cities, Tokyo said in a statement. Defence minister Itsunori Onodera said earlier this week: “We are always prepared to deal with emergencies. “We cannot tolerate such a clear provocative act to the security of the region and international society, including out country. READ MORE: NORTH KOREA VS USA NEWS LIVE

SKY Japan has sent missiles and defence systems to Hiroshima

"We will maintain our monitoring and surveillance at a high level and take all possible means to cope with any situation.” However, concerns were raised earlier this week whether Japan’s defence system was strong enough to intercept missiles fired in East Asia. North Korea observer 38 North said Japan’s likelihood of taking down a missile is “limited if not improbably”.

REUTERS North Korean missiles sent towards Guam will pass over Japan