Text 20996, 114 rader
Skriven 2006-07-10 14:42:00 av Jeff Binkley (1:226/600)
Ärende: Korea
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Thoughts ?  Nice to see someone showing backbone.   Somebody has to make up for
the errors of The CLinton administration.

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http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060710/D8IP4UC81.html

Japan Considers Strike Against N. Korea

Jul 10, 8:58 AM (ET)

By MARI YAMAGUCHI

TOKYO (AP) - Japan said Monday it was considering whether a pre-emptive strike
on the North's missile bases would violate its constitution, signaling a
hardening stance ahead of a possible U.N. Security Council vote on Tokyo's
proposal for sanctions against the regime.

Japan was badly rattled by North Korea's missile tests last week and several
government officials openly discussed whether the country ought to take steps
to better defend itself, including setting up the legal framework to allow
Tokyo to launch a pre-emptive strike against Northern missile sites.

"If we accept that there is no other option to prevent an attack ... there is
the view that attacking the launch base of the guided missiles is within the
constitutional right of self-defense. We need to deepen discussion," Chief
Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe said.

Japan's constitution currently bars the use of military force in settling
international disputes and prohibits Japan from maintaining a military for
warfare. Tokyo has interpreted that to mean it can have armed troops to protect
itself, allowing the existence of its 240,000-strong Self-Defense Forces.

A Defense Agency spokeswoman, however, said Japan has no attacking weapons such
as ballistic missiles that could reach North Korea. Its forces only have
ground-to-air missiles and ground-to-vessel missiles, she said on condition of
anonymity due to official policy.

Despite resistance from China and Russia, Japan has pushed for a U.N. Security
Council resolution that would prohibit nations from procuring missiles or
missile-related "items, materials goods and technology" from North Korea. A
vote was possible in New York later Monday, but Japan said it would not insist
on one.

"It's important for the international community to express a strong will in
response to the North Korean missile launches," Abe said. "This resolution is
an effective way of expressing that."

China and Russia, both nations with veto power on the council, have voiced
opposition to the measure. Kyodo News agency reported Monday, citing unnamed
Chinese diplomatic sources, that China may use its veto on the Security Council
to block the resolution.

The United States, Britain and France have expressed support for the proposal,
while Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso has said there is a possibility that
Russia will abstain.

South Korea, not a council member, has not publicly taken a position on the
resolution, but on Sunday Seoul rebuked Japan for its outspoken criticism of
the tests.

"There is no reason to fuss over this from the break of dawn like Japan, but
every reason to do the opposite," a statement from President Roh Moo-hyun's
office said, suggesting that Tokyo was contributing to tensions on the Korean
Peninsula.

Abe said Monday it was "regrettable" that South Korea had accused Japan of
overreacting.

"There is no mistake that the missile launch ... is a threat to Japan and the
region. It is only natural for Japan to take measures of risk management
against such a threat," Abe said.

Meanwhile, a Chinese delegation including the country's top nuclear envoy -
Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei - arrived in North Korea on Monday, officially
to attend celebrations marking the 45th anniversary of a friendship treaty
between the North and China.

The U.S. is urging Beijing to push its communist ally back into six-party
nuclear disarmament talks, but the Chinese government has not said whether Wu
would bring up the negotiations. A ministry spokeswoman said last week that
China was "making assiduous efforts" in pushing for the talks to resume.

Talks have been deadlocked since November because of a boycott by Pyongyang in
protest of a crackdown by Washington on the regime's alleged money-laundering
and other financial crimes.

Beijing has suggested an informal gathering of the six nations, which could
allow the North to technically stand by its boycott, but at the same time meet
with the other five parties - South Korea, China, the U.S., Japan and Russia.
The U.S. has backed the idea and said Washington could meet with the North on
the sidelines of such a meeting.

Still, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill questioned just how
influential Beijing was with the enigmatic regime.

"I must say the issue of China's influence on DPRK is one that concerns us,"
Hill told reporters in Tokyo. "China said to the DPRK, 'Don't fire those
missiles,' but the DPRK fired them. So I think everybody, especially the
Chinese, are a little bit worried about it."

The DPRK refers to the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic
of Korea.

Hill is touring the region to coordinate strategy on North Korea. He has
emphasized the need for countries involved to present a united front.

"We want to make it very clear that we all speak in one voice on this
provocative action by the North Koreans to launch missiles in all shapes and
sizes," Hill said. "We want to make it clear to North Korea that what it did
was really unacceptable."

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