Japan Seeks Counter-Strike Missile Capabilities: Reports

Japan’s efforts to strengthen its defense against growing threats in the region are underway, including the acquisition of counter-strike capabilities, according to reports.

Stars and Stripes, a daily military newspaper, reported that a spokesman for Japan’s Defense Ministry confirmed that a meeting was held between the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito, a conservative political party in the country.

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, second left, talks with Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada, right, as they gather for a cabinet meeting at Kishida’s office in Tokyo on Friday, 14 October 2022. North Korea launched an additional ballistic missile and 170 rounds early Friday. of artillery shells into the sea and flew warplanes near the tense border with South Korea. “Regardless of intentions, North Korea’s repeated ballistic missile launches are absolutely unacceptable, and we cannot ignore its substantial advance in missile technology,” Hamada said. (Keisuke Hosojima/Kyodo News via AP)
(Keisuke Hosojima/Kyodo News via AP)

Stars and Stripes reported that a document detailing the acquisition of missile defense capabilities was shown at the meeting.

“It is being considered within the limits of the constitution and international laws based on the recognition of whether we are sufficiently equipped to protect the lives of Japanese citizens,” the spokesman told Stars and Stripes. “Therefore, we will continue to maintain an exclusively defense-oriented security posture.”

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The specifics of counterattack capabilities were not discussed because they were still under review.

The Associated Press reported on Nov. 22 that a panel commissioned by the Japanese government said in a report to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida that a drastic defense build-up, including the use of preemptive strike, is “indispensable.” to counter the growing threats in the region.

The Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is shown during its second test fire in this undated picture provided by KCNA in Pyongyang on July 29.
(Reuters)

Kishida and his ruling party want to double Japan’s current defense budget to $10 trillion over the next five years, AP said, to pay for military spending, bolster the arms industry and research and develop innovative technologies.

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Growing threats from Russia and North Korea, the latter of which continues to fire missiles toward Japan, prompted Kishida to vow to strengthen Japan’s military capabilities.

“Strengthening deterrence is the top priority for the government and the ruling party,” Kishida said as he met with government bloc executives after receiving the panel’s recommendations.

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According to the AP, Kishida’s party renamed the pre-emptive strike to the counter-attack capability to emphasize that it would be for self-defense.

With this capability, Japan could attack and disable enemy missiles before they are launched.