North Korea launch imminent

Per Sky News, Pyongyang's official news agency has announced that preparations are complete and it will launch a satellite "soon." The move would be in defiance of international calls for resistance in recent days.

Voice of America foreign correspondent Steven Herman (@W7VOA) is reporting via Twitter that the launch could happen at any minute, as 2:00 GMT (the current time as of this post) opens a window North Korean officials have given for it.

The latest reports have heightened the fears of Japanese Twitterers:

1. 
   prophotopete (Japan) Apparently North Korea has a bloody missile aimed in our direction and are getting ready to launch it soon. Any news in the US? 03 Apr 2009 from web
2. 
   dialogjapan (Tokyo, Japan) North Korea says to rocket launch imminent. Is it a missile to Japan ? so much afraid that if it hits anywhere in Japan. http://news.go ... 04 Apr 2009 from twhirl
3. 
   japchap (Japan) North Korea's supposedly launching their "satellite" into orbit... or is it really a satellite? Crazy dictators stirring the pot... 04 Apr 2009 from Twidget
4. 
   mickstokyo (Tokyo, Japan) scared of north korea's rocket!!!! 04 Apr 2009 from web
5. 
   shita (Yokohima, Japan) North Korea is ready.... 04 Apr 2009 from twitterrific

North Korea launch imminent