Tokyo is eyeing the development of cruise missiles to launch pre-emptive strikes on North Korean missile bases.
The Japanese government is likely to put a clause paving the way for such missiles into a revised 10-year defense plan at the end of this year.
Shinzo Abe told the Diet that Japan needs to “consider acquiring the means to hit enemy bases in accordance with the changing international political situation.”
At present, Japan’s pacifist postwar Constitution prohibits it from acquiring pre-emptive attack weapons. In 2004, Tokyo considered developing a cruise missile with a range of 300 km but scrapped the plan due to mounting public concern that they would violate the non-aggression principles. In 2009, the DLP looked at buying cruise missiles but the plan was shelved when it lost the general election.
But amid a general lurch to the right, Abe recently said striking North Korean missile bases could be considered “self defense” if there are no other ways to deal with such threats.
敵基地攻撃能力保有へ 北朝鮮の核ミサイルに対抗
ReplyDelete政府・自民が本格検討開始
産経新聞
http://sankei.jp.msn.com/politics/news/130220/plc13022008310008-n1.htm
自民党は１９日、防衛力整備の基本方針「防衛計画の大綱」を今年末に改定するのに伴い、敵基地攻撃能力の保有に向けた本格的検討に入った。北朝鮮の弾道ミサイルと核の能力向上で「核ミサイル」の脅威が新たなステージに入り、発射施設などを攻撃できる能力を具体化させることが不可欠と判断した。政府内でも同様の見方が強まっており、大綱改定の焦点の一つになりそうだ。
同日開かれた自民党の安全保障調査会・国防部会合同会議で、岩屋毅安保調査会長は他国への打撃力を米国に依存していることについて「どう考えるか防衛大綱の大きなテーマだ」と指摘。「打撃力の一部を日本が持つことも課題で（大綱の）論点を整理するときに議論してほしい」と指示した。
敵基地攻撃に関する政府統一見解は「法理的には自衛の範囲に含まれ可能」というもの。安倍晋三首相も１２日の衆院予算委員会で「国際情勢の変化」をにらみ、攻撃能力保有を検討する必要があるとの認識を示していた。
具体的に保有する敵基地攻撃能力としては、遠隔地からでも精密攻撃能力の高い巡航ミサイルの配備が現実的とされる。
敵基地攻撃能力が注目されているのは北朝鮮の脅威が増しているため。昨年１２月に発射した長距離弾道ミサイルは射程１万キロと推定され、米国本土にも届く。今月１２日の３回目の核実験では長距離弾道ミサイルに搭載できるよう核の「小型化」を進めたとみられる。
日本を射程に収める中距離弾道ミサイル「ノドン」（射程１３００キロ）に搭載可能な核の小型化は既に終えたとの分析もある。ノドンは１５０～２５０発保有しているとみられ、連続発射されればイージス艦と地対空誘導弾パトリオット（ＰＡＣ３）部隊でもすべてを迎撃できない。
このため、発射施設を攻撃できる能力を保有しないままだと対処力は限定される。ノドンは発射台に載せて移動可能で、配置場所の特定は困難との見方もあるが、「政権中枢施設の攻撃にも転用できる」（自民党国防関係議員）という抑止力上の意義もある。
また、北朝鮮が米本土に核ミサイルを撃ち込むと脅せば「米国は日本防衛をためらいかねない」（政府高官）との懸念もある。日本独自の対処力を高めることで、米国の対処力を維持させるねらいもある。
Japan Eyes Cruise Missiles to Attack N.Korea
ReplyDeleteThe Chosun Ilbo
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2013/02/21/2013022101139.html
Tokyo is eyeing the development of cruise missiles to launch pre-emptive strikes on North Korean missile bases, the Sankei Shimbun reported Wednesday.
The daily said the Japanese government is likely to put a clause paving the way for such missiles into a revised 10-year defense plan at the end of this year.
Takeshi Iwaya, a lawmaker who heads a security committee in the ruling Democratic Liberal Party, told party members Tuesday, “Japan relies on the U.S. for the capability to hit enemy bases. Whether Japan can acquire part of that capability will be a major point in the defense plan.”
Earlier, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told the Diet that Japan needs to “consider acquiring the means to hit enemy bases in accordance with the changing international political situation.”
At present, Japan’s pacifist postwar Constitution prohibits it from acquiring pre-emptive attack weapons. In 2004, Tokyo considered developing a cruise missile with a range of 300 km but scrapped the plan due to mounting public concern that they would violate the non-aggression principles.
In 2009, the DLP looked at buying cruise missiles but the plan was shelved when it lost the general election.
But amid a general lurch to the right, Abe recently said striking North Korean missile bases could be considered “self defense” if there are no other ways to deal with such threats.
North Korea is estimated to have 150 to 200 Rodong missiles with a range of 1,300 km. A DLP official told the Sankei Shimbun, “There are concerns that it is not easy to deliver preemptive strikes on specific targets, since North Korea has mobile missiles, but cruise missiles could be used to attack key facilities of the regime.”
Experts say Japan is capable of building a long-range missile any time it wants since it already has a rocket that can put a satellite into orbit.