North Korea Watch: Japan Considers Pre-emptive Strike Against North Korea

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, right, is greeted by Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yochi, left, as U.S. Ambassador to Japan Thomas Schieffer, center, looks on at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo, Monday, July 10, 2006. Hill is here as part of his Asian tour ahead of a possible vote in the U.N. Security Council on the resolution proposed by Japan following the July 5 missiles test launched by Norht Korea.

AP: Japan considers strike against N. Korea

Japan said Monday it was considering whether a pre-emptive strike on the North’s missile bases would violate its constitution, signaling a hardening stance ahead of a possible U.N. Security Council vote on Tokyo’s proposal for sanctions against the regime.

Japan was badly rattled by North Korea’s missile tests last week and several government officials openly discussed whether the country ought to take steps to better defend itself, including setting up the legal framework to allow Tokyo to launch a pre-emptive strike against Northern missile sites.

“If we accept that there is no other option to prevent an attack … there is the view that attacking the launch base of the guided missiles is within the constitutional right of self-defense. We need to deepen discussion,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe said.

Japan’s constitution currently bars the use of military force in settling international disputes and prohibits Japan from maintaining a military for warfare. Tokyo has interpreted that to mean it can have armed troops to protect itself, allowing the existence of its 240,000-strong Self-Defense Forces.

A Defense Agency spokeswoman, however, said Japan has no attacking weapons such as ballistic missiles that could reach North Korea. Its forces only have ground-to-air missiles and ground-to-vessel missiles, she said on condition of anonymity due to official policy.

Well, the United Nations Security Council has two choices:

!. A tough resolution condemning North Korea with economic sanctions or…

2. Militarization of Japan and its allies (e.g. Australia and Taiwan) by the United States, including missile defense and a nuclear deterrent.

It is in the interests of the United States to have the UNSC support a tough resolution, including sanctions. If China and Russia wish to veto the resolutions – so be it.

Stay tuned…….

The front of United Nations Headquarters is seen Monday morning, July 10, 2006 in New York. Japan, who proposed a Security Council resolution on Friday calling for penalties against North Korea, is pushing for a vote on the resolution Monday.

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