Japan Would Not Use Missile Defense to Intercept Missiles Targeting Other Countries

Japan would use a planned missile defense system only to intercept missiles fired at the island nation, Agence France-Presse reported yesterday (see GSN, Dec. 17, 2004).

Tokyo would not intercept missiles passing through Japanese air space or targeting other countries. That would be considered collective self-defense, which is not allowed under Japan’s pacifist constitution, Kyodo News reported (Agence France-Presse/Yahoo!News, Jan. 9).

Meanwhile, Japan is also considering a U.S. proposal that the two countries conduct joint research to develop an Airborne Laser to shoot down ballistic missiles as part of Washington’s missile defense program, Japanese officials told the Mainichi Shimbun.

The laser is designed to fire a laser beam from an airplane at a ballistic missile shortly after it is launched, according to Mainichi (Mainichi Shimbun, Jan. 10).

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