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Korea
N. Korea prods Japan into buildup
2003-03-17
Looks like they're "going reckless". Don't think this is what Kimmie had in mind...
Japan is preparing to launch spy satellites, speeding up development of missile defenses, building its commando forces and expanding the range of its air force in response to what it sees as a growing threat from North Korea.
...AKA, the peace loving DPRK.

In addition, a few right-wing politicians here are suggesting that Japan build nuclear weapons to counter North Korea's aggressive moves. That idea has almost no public support in the only country ever to have been struck with nuclear weapons. But the topic is no longer taboo.
And isn't that the first step?

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il seems intent on assembling a nuclear arsenal just 400 to 500 miles from Japan. Since October, North Korea has admitted pursuing nuclear weapons, reactivated a nuclear complex mothballed in 1994 and issued warnings about an impending war in an apparent attempt to jolt the United States into signing a non-aggression pact.
Ah, that North Korean "nuclear racket".

Sunday, North Korea's government objected to U.S.-South Korean military exercises underway in the South. It called them ''a dangerous military racket to ignite the second Korean War.'' It also repeated a demand ''to resolve the issue through North Korea-U.S. direct talks.'' The United States wants talks that also include South Korea, Japan and other regional powers.

Japan has a pacifist constitution, imposed by the United States after World War II to keep Japan from becoming a military power again.That constitution does not bar Japan from having a military. It has a 160,000-strong self-defense force. North Korea has a 1 million-man army. Japan relies on an American promise to come to its defense, backed by 50,000 U.S. troops at bases in Japan and the threat of a retaliatory nuclear strike by the United States in response to any such attack here.

Japan's neighbors, mindful of its aggression during World War II, are warily watching its responses to North Korea's actions. China, which has nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, has spoken out against any effort by Japan to develop missile defenses. It says such a program threatens regional stability and could trigger an arms race. The United States has been encouraging Japan to strengthen its defenses but does not want it to be a major military power again. Many leaders here say this country has no choice but to boost its military capabilities. ''Japan ought to act like Rambo,'' says Shingo Nishimura, a right-wing member of Japan's parliament. Oh-oh. Looks like Shingo's nuts...
Japan is:
  • Speeding up development of a missile-defense system. Since North Korea fired a missile over Japan in 1998, Japan has been conducting research with the United States. A test could take place soon.
  • Readying spy satellites. Japan has long relied on U.S. satellites but complains that the Americans are stingy about sharing information. The first Japanese launch of a spy satellite is set for March 28.
  • Beefing up defenses against commando attacks, a threat posed by North Korea's vast special forces. Last year, Japan created a special 660-man regiment dedicated to defending its 5,000 islands from amphibious assaults. This year, it will set up a 300-man special operations unit assigned to defend cities against guerrilla attacks.
  • Working on in-flight refueling of military aircraft, which would allow its F-15 fighter jets to reach North Korea and come back home.
As for nuclear weapons, Japan could develop them quickly. Its more than 50 nuclear power plants have produced enough plutonium for hundreds of weapons. The main obstacle is public opinion. But Shinichi Ogawa of the National Institute for Defense Studies, a government think tank, says nuclear weapons are also impractical: There aren't many places to put them in this crowded, highly developed nation.
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