On 27 March 2009 Japan announced that it has deployed two ballistic missile destroyers to intercept the rocket that North Korea is set to test sometime between 4 - 8 April. Japan and the U.S. announced earlier that they will punish North Korea if it goes through with the rocket launch test. Officials stated that it is unlikely that the rocket will cause any damage and assured the Japanese public that they will be safe. On 26 March nuclear envoys from Japan, South Korea and the U.S. met in Washington D.C. to discuss the situation.