August 18, 2006 :: UPI :: News
The U.S. and Japan have surprisingly little coordination in their current ballistic missile defense deployments, reports the UPI. The article quotes Hidemichi Katsumata, who discussed this lack of coordination in the Tokyo newspaper
Yomiuri Shimbun on July 14, 10 days after North Korea test launched a salvo of long- and short-range ballistic missiles. “It may come as a surprise to many, but the [Japanese] government does not have plans in place to enable U.S. armed forces and the SDF [Japanese Self Defense Forces] to work jointly to protect the country from a ballistic missile attack,” Katsumata wrote. He recommended that “the [Japanese] government should therefore map out as soon as possible a joint Japan-U.S. strategy to prepare for a possible missile attack. Determining what roles U.S. forces and SDF troops can play, and what they are allowed to do, the government could help to deter North Korea.”
(Article)
» More stories on: Japan, North Korea
» Missile system details for: Japanese Ballistic Missile Defense
