Aso says he will not overlook N. Korea test-firing missile over Japan+

TOKYO, March 13 Kyodo -
Prime Minister Taro Aso said Friday he would not overlook it if North Korea
test-fires a ballistic missile over Japan, following Pyongyang's announcement
that it plans to launch a rocket carrying what it claims to be a communications
satellite.
''No country has ever test-fired a missile over another country. I have no
intention of overlooking the (planned) launch,'' Aso said in an interview with
Kyodo News.
''Japan will decisively urge North Korea to halt the plan,'' he said.
Japan and some other countries believe that North Korea's announcement of a
satellite launch is a cover for test-firing a long-range missile.
''Even if the rocket is for a communications satellite, it would be a violation
of United Nations Security Council resolutions,'' he said. If North Korea
actually launches the rocket, ''Japan will bring the case to the Security
Council.'' He indicated Japan will consider requesting that the council adopt a
sanction resolution against the North.
Aso also reiterated that the decision on when he would dissolve the House of
Representatives for an election is his discretion and that he will make it
after taking the economic situation and other factors into consideration.
''I will decide when to dissolve the house at a certain point'' before the term
for lower house members expires on Sept. 10, he said.
During the 40-minute interview, Aso, whose popularity is in tatters, presented
some ideas on the campaign platform of his Liberal Democratic Party for the
next general election and how it would differ from that of the main opposition
Democratic Party of Japan and other parties.
''What we want to stress is that the LDP will focus on reviving the flagging
economy but will seek fundamental tax reforms including a consumption tax
hike'' to cover increasing social security costs, he said. Many of the
opposition parties are against the tax hike before working on fiscal
expenditure cuts.
In a bid to differentiate the LDP from the DPJ, Aso said he disagrees with DPJ
President Ichiro Ozawa's claim that the U.S. 7th Fleet is sufficient for
securing the U.S. presence in the Far East.
Aso emphasized that the Japan-U.S. alliance is the foundation of Japan's
security policy.
''Japan should make use of the U.S. deterrence,'' he said, attacking Ozawa,
whose party has also seen its voter support rate fall following last week's
arrest of his secretary due to a political funds scandal.
But Aso was not so vocal on the scandal involving Nishimatsu Construction Co.,
as some heavyweights in the LDP such as Economic, Trade and Industry Minister
Toshihiro Nikai have also received donations from the general contractor.
''Corruption could undermine public trust in politics, and politicians need to
be fully accountable,'' he said.
Concerning Finance Minister Kaoru Yosano, who has been assuming triple posts,
Aso said he has no plans at this point on whether to have someone replace him
in the post of finance minister, nor to reshuffle his Cabinet.
Yosano took over the post last month from Shoichi Nakagawa who was forced to
quit due to his widely ridiculed performance at a press conference in Rome.
On the diplomatic front, Aso, looking back on his trip to Sakhalin in the
Russian Far East last month, said, ''Japan is the best country for Russia to
join hands with in terms of energy and economic development, and Russia made
the right decision.''
Aso and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had summit talks in mid-February and
held an opening ceremony for Russia's first production plant for Japan-bound
liquefied natural gas, part of the ''Sakhalin-2'' oil and natural gas
development project that involves private-sector Japanese companies.
==Kyodo
2009-03-13 22:25:01