WASHINGTON - Japanese naval forces plan to shoot down a medium-range missile on Tuesday off Hawaii in a test of Tokyo's missile defence weaponry, the US military said.

A Japanese destroyer will try to detect, track and knock out the missile in mid-flight with an SM-3 interceptor rocket, the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) said in a statement.

The test will be carried out in cooperation with the US Navy and the MDA on a range off the coast of Kauai in Hawaii, with a launch window set for 10am - 2pm local time.

The Japanese ship is equipped with the Aegis radar system, which tracks the incoming missile and directs the interceptor to the target.

The destroyer will be loaded with additional SM-3 interceptors before heading back to Japan, the statement said.

Japan has sought to bolster its missile defences in the face of the threat posed by North Korea's missile and nuclear programs.

US President Barack Obama's administration has said it will build a missile defence shield in Europe using the SM-3 interceptors and the Aegis radar system.