U.S. Anti-Ballistic-Missiles in Japan

[zeroyon]

Since North Korea has aquired nuclear weapons, and since the only rockets they (most likley) have are short to medium-ranged missiles, the most probable targets for North Korea to attack is either South Korea or Japan. Now, Is the USA providing ABM (anti-ballistic-missiles) in Japan, or do they have an Airborne Laser plane stationed in Japan (if you don't know what the Airborne Laser is, click here (http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/abl/flash.html) ) since airborne laser is useless to use if it doesn't have direct line of sight to the target, which will make it useless to keep such a weapon in the USA.

...and... if the USA isn't providing any measures of protecting Japan from North Korea's nuclear threat... does Japan itself have any measures in place?

I really have no idea about the military power over in japan and what the constitution states... etc... so I would REALLY like to know...

[babar-san]

interesting issue. after kim's threats of nuclear proliferation in north korea, the united states, and the un discussed nuclear proliferation in japan! of course, i dont think this will ever happen, one reason being that kim yong is for the most part regarded as a big talker, and thats all. even south korean government has commented on his crap talking, and remain firm in the belief that he would never actually do anything so drastic. however, do you remember in the 80's when north korea launched a missile over japan, just to prove they could? of course, it wasnt armed (didnt have a warhead, but nontheless, it happened) ????

[grey_elf]

True, North Korea does have the tendency to say more than they do, and IMO, I doubt they would ever attack because the U.S. would most likely back Japan up with military action and North Korea probably wouldn't want to risk retaliation from both Japanese and American forces.

[Moon Child]

Japan is ready to handle anything North Korea has planned. It is the same equiped like American Soldiers. I think you may find this article of some use.

Asia Times - North Korea : The Japanese Card (http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/EB20Dg01.html)

[Blututh]

The Japanese govt. has recently been pouring funds into ABM programs, in order to deter launches from NK or China. I heard this about 3 months ago.

[jonerik]

The U.S. Navy has been fielding the Raytheon RIM-161A Standard Missile 3 for the last couple of years on a growing number of warships equipped with Aegis defense systems, and Japan is scheduled to begin deployment in the latter part of 2007. It's the missile component of what the US Navy calls the NTW-TBMD (Navy Theater Wide - Theater Ballistic Missile Defense). In other words, intended from the start as a sea-based ballistic missile defense, rather than an advanced air defense missile with some capability against medium-range ballistic missiles (like the Patriot PAC-3, which Japan will also begin deploying soon).

The RIM-161A isn't perfect, but from what I've read the results of the tests have steadily improved since the prototypes were tested in the '90s. Would it make the North Koreans think twice about launching an actual missile attack against, say, Japan? Maybe. I don't think they're likely to do something that insane anyway because they know what the US reaction would inevitably be. But if they knew that the US and Japan had an ability to shoot down, say, 60% of their missiles, yeah, that very well could be enough to deter them. In any event, the US currently has some missile defense capability in the Pacific, and Japan will as well in the not-too-distant future.

[zeroyon]

It seems now that there is an operational PAC-3 battery deployed at Kadena airbase in Okinawa. It became operational very recently, and is the only operational land-based ABM system anywhere in Japan IIRC.

I guess that the US and Japan were just waiting for a large event, such as NK launching its missiles recently, to justify the deployment of the ABM system.

EDIT: sorry my mistake. The system has been deployed, but is not quite operational yet. Initial operational capability is expected by the end of the year. Read here:
http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/announce/2006/7/0720.html

[Ho-te-ru]

The DPRK is trying to blackmail the US with some good cards (nuclear ambitions, missiles, ability to shell Seoul) but Kim knows that a counter attack from S.Korea, the USA or Japan would destroy them.

Japan will beat Korea in a conflict but any ideas of an impenetrable shiled around Japan are silly. I have little faith in the son of star wars program. Even a superpower like the USA can't get its interceptors working fully, the 88 billion dollar 'Starwars' missile defense system is very limited

[CBT1979]

Don't underestimate the North Koreans. Although they have the oldest weapons compared to its neighbours South Korea, Japan, China etc.
they have 1.3 million professional soldiers who will not surrender like most Iraqi forces. They don't have high accuracy weapons such like cruise missles and other GPS,INS or laser designated weapons, but fighting them on their soil will be very hard.
On the other hand, although NKorea has obtained its nukes, I don't see any real danger to its neighbours unless one of them is stupid enough to attack/invade NKorea.
Japan should have its own missile defense system. But the strong presence of the US forces in the pacific region isn't always a good thing for Asian countries. They want to handle things themselves instead of depending on Westeners.
Kim Jong Il II is a selfish dictator, no doubt, but the US has been only pushing it more into a dead end with no will of fair negotiations.
NKorea demanded for reduced US armed forces in the region and end of the sanctions before stopping the nuke program, but the US don't care. They just want him and his regime collapse without thinking of the consequences. It would be like an national implosion with mass refugee movements into China, Russia, South Korea. Would Japan and the US let those refugees in?

Iraq is a total mess and forcing NKorea into national collapse will cause big problems too although we won't have suicide attacks.