Friday, March 14, 2003
Amid heightened concerns, Japan considering stronger missile defence
Associated Press Tokyo, March 14
Amid heightened concerns over a possible threat from North Korea, Japan is considering strengthening its missile defence systems, the Defence Agency said on Friday.
"The government is investigating and considering both legal and budgetary issues regarding missile defence," said Defence Agency spokesman Ichiro Imaizumi. He declined to be more specific. A major daily, the Yomiuri Shimbun, reported on Friday that Tokyo plans to acquire advanced US-made Patriot anti-missile rockets to deploy from July.
If North Korea fired one of its mid-range Rodong missiles at Japan, the plan would call for Tokyo to intercept it with an enhanced version of the Patriot PAC2 capable of intercepting ballistic missiles that have a range of 1,000 kilometres, the report said.
Japan currently has less advanced Patriot anti-missile rockets in place at 27 locations around the country, but they have a shorter range.
To enable a rapid response to an incoming missile, the government is also considering revising the law to enable the military to launch a Patriot rocket before being given orders to do so by the prime minister, the Yomiuri added.
Japanese law keeps strict civilian control over its military, a product of the caution that remains following Japan's militarism that led to its crushing defeat in World War II.
Tokyo may also allow its military to mobilize immediately in the event a missile lands in Japanese territory, the Yomiuri said, but did not give further details.
Japan's defence chief said Tokyo is also focusing on being able to spot when a missile might be fired, before any actual launch. "If we were able to inform citizens a missile was coming, it would be two or three minutes in advance - or in the worst case, only one minute or 30 seconds. So the question is, what can you do in such a situation?," Shigeru Ishiba told a news conference. "But before that stage, there is a lot of information. We will prepare by gathering and analyzing that."
Tokyo's concerns about anti-missile defenses rose after Pyongyang test-fired a long-range Taepodong ballistic missile over Japan in 1998, demonstrating its capability to reach virtually any Japanese city.
North Korea added to those worries Monday when it test-fired a second short-range missile off its east coast in two weeks. Local media reported Thursday that North Korea also appears to be making final preparations to test-launch its Rodong ballistic missile. The reports cited information given to the Tokyo by U.S. officials.
Government officials said, however, they do not have strong evidence a test is imminent.
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