Japan Makes Missile Defense Shield a Priority

Japan Makes Missile Defense Shield a Priority

Japan said July 6 it aims to erect a missile defense shield as quickly as possible as North Korea develops increasingly sophisticated weaponry, including long-range rockets.
Japan’s annual defense report warned that North Korea is improving its missile system to cover all of East Asia, including Japan, and potentially reach the northern tip of Australia, as well as part of Alaska.
The report, approved by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet, was the first published by the defense ministry, which was upgraded from agency status in January in line with Abe’s initiative to expand the role of Japanese troops.
North Korea’s ballistic missiles “are now regarded as more practical,” the report said.
“North Korea is improving its capability of managing ballistic missiles. It is considered that North Korea is trying to further extend their firing range.
“It is necessary to finish deploying a ballistic missile defense as quickly as possible,” the annual paper said, noting the need for Tokyo to strengthen cooperation with the U.S. military.
The defense report comes after a series of North Korean missile launches that have heightened tensions in the region.
In 1998, North Korea sparked alarm in Japan by test-firing a long-range missile over the country, prompting Japan and the U.S. to start working on an advanced missile shield.
North Korea also shocked Japan with its first nuclear test last October.
Hopes are rising that a long-stalled pact on North Korea’s nuclear program will finally be realized, with the communist state hinting that it is ready to meet its promise to close a nuclear reactor.
While there is a chance that the reclusive state will take action to freeze its nuclear program, it is expected to continue developing missiles, a direct threat to South Korea and Japan, independent analysts said.
“Talks on nuclear weapons appear to move forward, but there is no progress in missiles at all,” said Masao Okonogi, professor of international politics at Keio University and an expert on the North Korean issue.
“Security in northeast Asia will remain fragile for the time being, centered on North Korea’s missile development,” Okonogi said.
Japan has set aside $1.3 billion on development and deployment of its missile defense for the current fiscal year to March 2008, up 4.4 percent from the previous fiscal year.
“While the entire defense budget has declined, we are spending our budget on what we have to spend, and the missile defense is the one,” said Mamoru Koutaki, press secretary of the defense ministry.
In March, Japan installed two Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) surface-to-air interceptors at the Iruma Air Self-Defence Force base in suburban Tokyo.
The U.S. installed Japan’s first anti-missile system on the southern island of Okinawa last year.
The ministry plans to deploy the U.S.-developed PAC-3s, which can cover a 12-mile radius, at a total of 11 bases in eastern and western Japan by March 2011.
Independent experts agree North Korea is also upgrading its missile technology.
“North Korea has improved the capability of missiles by receiving technology from other countries,” said Hideshi Takesada, professor at the National Institute for Defense. “Military tensions in northeast Asia are much higher than in the past. The race for development and deployment of missiles is a global trend and northeast Asia is no exception.”