LDP panel largely agrees on proposing ability to hit enemy bases

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TOKYO, May 26 Kyodo -
A defense panel of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party largely agreed Tuesday
to propose that Japan acquire the capability to take out enemy bases under new
National Defense Program Guidelines.
The proposal, which is in large measure a response to North Korea's nuclear
test on Monday and its April 5 rocket launch, is likely to be controversial
given that some government officials and lawmakers have expressed reservations
about making the leap.
Noting future uncertainties about the ballistic missile shield backed by the
United States, the proposal by a subcommittee of the defense policymaking panel
says Japan should have the ability to strike enemy bases ''within the scope of
its defense-only policy so it would not just sit and wait for its own death.''
The proposal envisions that by detecting the launch preparations in an enemy
state with a spy satellite, it would be possible to launch preemptive strikes
against its missile sites with sea-launched cruise missiles.
While Japan maintains a defense-only posture under its war-renouncing
Constitution, the government takes the view that the country can strike an
enemy's military base if a hostile missile attack appears certain.
On Tuesday, Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada showed a cautious view on the
issue of such capability, telling reporters, ''We've had a similar discussion
every time an incident (like the rocket launch) happens. But we must go about
discussing it by fully understanding our country's fundamental situation, legal
framework and military posture.''
''If we merely have discussions, we will end up fanning the people's
sentiments,'' he said, calling for a calm response to the matter.
At the meeting, participants largely endorsed the proposal, but Taku Yamasaki,
a former LDP vice president, suggested they should consider how such a proposal
would affect the Japan-U.S. alliance.
Other proposals endorsed by the subcommittee on the whole include changing the
government's current interpretation of the Constitution that it bans Japan from
excising its right to collective defense.
The change is aimed at enabling the Japanese Self-Defense Forces to protect
U.S. warships in joint operations on the high seas and to intercept long-range
ballistic missiles that are aimed at U.S. targets.
Among the others are developing an early warning satellite system to detect the
launchings of ballistic missiles -- a system Japan does not have and relies on
the United States for -- and appointing an SDF officer to the post of adviser
to the prime minister.
The proposals also envision relaxing the ban on arms exports, revising the
Constitution to stipulate the existence of the SDF and set up a military court,
and forging a new Japan-U.S. Joint Declaration on Security -- a project pushed
by Hamada to cope with global issues.
An experts' panel set up at the prime minister's office is studying the defense
guidelines for fiscal 2010 to 2014, with plans to produce a report around next
month. The LDP subcommittee hopes to finalize a set of recommendations before
then.
The Cabinet is expected to approve new guidelines at the end of the year by
taking into account the panel's report and proposals to be put forward by the
LDP.
==Kyodo