Japanese ship intercepts ballistic missile in test

HONOLULU - HONOLULU (AP) - A Japanese naval destroyer has shot down a ballistic missile in a test off the Hawaiian island of Kauai.

The U.S. and Japanese militaries said Thursday the JS Kirishima fired an interceptor missile that shot down a separating medium-range missile target about 100 miles above the Pacific Ocean.

U.S. Navy ships the USS Russell and the USS Lake Erie tracked the target missile.

Two other Japanese destroyers successfully shot down ballistic missiles in similar tests in previous years.

Japan has installed Aegis ballistic missile defenses on four Kongo-class destroyers.

The U.S. fired the test's target from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai.

The Kirishima detected the target, tracked it, then fired the SM-3 interceptor missile.