Japan considers THAAD deployment to counter N.Korea
Defense Minister tells reporters Japan wants to study U.S. technology and equipment
Japan is considering deploying the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to defend against possible attacks from North Korea, local media reported Tuesday.
Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani made the announcement during a state visit to Hawaii where he met with numerous high ranking U.S. military officials.
“We want to speed up our study of advanced activities and equipment of the United States,” Nakatani told reporters in comments carried by Japan’s Mainichi news outlet.
North Korean state media often mentions Japan, with threats and insults over potential defense agreements with the U.S. and South Korea a common theme.
“The Japanese reactionaries would be well advised to stop acting rashly, bearing in mind that reinvasion of Korea is entirely a final ruin,” an article from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) entitled “Japanese Defense Minister’s Anti-DPRK Remarks under Fire” published earlier this month reads.
KCNA mentions of Japan over the last 60 days
The DPRK already has the capability to hit the Japanese mainland with its ballistic missiles, according toNK News intelligence director John Grisafi.
“(North Korean missiles) are definitely something Japan should take seriously. They likelihood of them ever being used or even how many North Korea could launch at Japan is questionable, but they would appear to have the capability to reach Japan with at least some of their missile designs and Japan should be capable of defending against them just in case.”
The installation of the missile defense systems has been controversial in neighboring South Korea, with China and the DPRK also criticizing the proposal at every turn.
Beijing views the plans as a U.S. cover for building defenses against Chinese missiles, despite the technical limitations of the THAAD systems.
On November 15 North Korea declared a no sail zone over its eastern sea, a move which many thought would be the precursor to a missile test. The restriction will be in place until December 7, an anonymous source told South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency.
Featured Image: THAAD_2010_June_c by U.S. Missile Defense Agency on 2010-06-29 07:37:12
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