U.S., Japan Discuss Missile Defense Rules

Senior U.S. and Japanese military officers yesterday discussed sensitive missile defense issues, including whether Japan would help to shoot down missiles aimed at the United States, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, Oct. 27, 2006).

Japan has acquired and deployed missile interceptors in recent years, spurred in part by a 1998 North Korean ballistic missile test, but its constitution limits its military forces to defending Japanese territory, according to AP.

If allowed, Tokyo’s systems would work well with U.S. missile defenses, said Adm. Timothy Keating, head of the U.S. Pacific Command, who met yesterday with Japan’s top officer, Adm. Takashi Saito.

“All of this integrates into a very complex but elegant ballistic missile defense system for the United States and Japan,” Keating said (see GSN, March 30).

Still, whether Japan could engage U.S.-bound targets remains unclear.

“Can Japan have the authority under the constitution to launch an Aegis missile against a threat if you're not certain where this missile is going? It could be overflying Japan or Honolulu,” Keating said.  “It's complicated.  We've got to work through all this” (Audrey McAvoy, Associated Press/The Honolulu Advertiser, April 12).

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