By Well there has been plenty of speculation on whether Japan would shoot down a North Korean missile test and according to the Asahi Shimbun they will:
Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone
Japan will order its Self Defense Forces to destroy North Korea’s missile if it’s launched, Japan’ Asahi Shimbun newspaper reported Wednesday.
The decision was made at a meeting of some related ministers, including the foreign minister and defense minister, the report said, adding that Japan will convene a security council meeting Friday to finalize its position on North Korea’s planned missile launch.
The report said the defense ministry would deploy surface-to-air interceptor missiles, also known as the Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3), in Akita and Iwate prefectures.
On Tuesday, North Korea warned it will boycott the six-party nuclear talks if the United Nations imposes sanctions over its rocket launch, according to the Yonhap News Agency.
“The Tokyo government is expected to soon issue an order to take measures to destroy the missile under the Self-Defense Forces Law. The PAC-3 missiles will then be moved, probably to the Ground SDF’s Akita and Iwate camps,” a defense ministry source was quoted as saying.
The defense missiles will destroy rocket boosters or other parts that could fall in the prefectures, the source added. [Korea Times]
Notice Japan is just going to shoot down the rocket boosters and not the actual missile itself. For those that don’t know the Taepodong-2 is a two stage missile meaning that it has two different rocket boosters that push the rocket into the air before the seperation of the warhead. Once the boosters complete their job they then fall back to the Earth while the warhead continues on its trajectory.
So the Asahi Shimbun is wrong to say that the Japan Self Defense Forces will shoot down the missile. Shooting down the boosters just appears to be a face saving measure for them while not actually shooting down the warhead which could provoke North Korea. If Japan wanted to actually shootdown the warhead they would need to use the AEGIS SM-3 interceptors to do so not PATRIOT PAC-3′s.
8:05 am on March 26th, 2009 1
Since I'm not a military expert I have a question: What NK would do if Japan intercepts their missile?
10:09 am on March 26th, 2009 2
What NK would do if Japan intercepts their missile?
Whatever they can get away with. I suspect ‘whatever they can get away with’ will be considerably more under the new American administration than the previous one. The response would definitely affect the six party talks.
11:21 am on March 26th, 2009 3
I think if I were an adviser to the Japanese government, I'd recommend they shoot it down.
Japan needs to do something to show the US, NK, SK, and China that it will not just sit by and watch helplessly as mainly the US and NK decide what goes on in the region related to North Korea's rogue activities.
For the last few years, the US, under Bush, Rice, and Hill's leadership, have greatly sidelined Japan and some of Japan's interests in order to try Sunshine Lite the US version, and there has been little Japan could do/have done about it.
The missile launch going over their territory gives them the chance to step up for themselves and more importantly show they are willing to do so.
And – anything the North does in response – is only likely to further Japanese interests. Meaning: if things heat up over the missile launch, it will push the US and China more into each other's arms with Japan than in Pyongyangs.
If Japan (and the US) do next to nothing with this launch, the North will consider it even more signs of weakness – which will only encourage them to try stuff more often.
Also, China will not want to see Japan (or South Korea) become energized about missile and other defense, but if they believe Japan will only roll over and do nothing, they will not feel the need to listen more seriously to Japan's interests in stopping the North from such acts.
3:23 pm on March 26th, 2009 4
I am glad to see Foreign Minister Nakasone is wearing the blue ribbon on his suit. The ribbon signifies the solidarity with those who were abducted by North Korea. The sea separates the loved ones from their families, yet the blue sky unites everyone. That is how the blue ribbon movement is quietly taking place in Japan.