Japan increasingly nervous about North Korea nuclear threats

[bananas]

Source: Associated Press

... Though it remains a highly unlikely scenario, Japanese officials have long feared that if North Korea ever decides to play its nuclear card it has not only the means but several potential motives for launching an attack on Tokyo or major U.S. military installations on Japan's main island. And while a conventional missile attack is far more likely, Tokyo is taking North Korea's nuclear rhetoric seriously.

On Monday, amid reports North Korea is preparing a missile launch or another nuclear test, Japanese officials said they have stepped up measures to ensure the nation's safety. Japanese media reported over the weekend that the defense minister has put destroyers with missile interception systems on alert to shoot down any missile or missile debris that appears to be headed for Japanese territory.

<snip>

North Korea, meanwhile, issued a new threat against Japan.

"We once again warn Japan against blindly toeing the U.S. policy," said an editorial Monday in the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of its ruling party. "It will have to pay a dear price for its imprudent behavior."

<snip>

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/04/08/us-may-be-out-nuclear-north-korea-reach-but-japan-fears-tokyo-us-bases-arent/

[MADem]

1. Surveillance drones to Misawa are probably not an issue ... this week, anyway. nt

[TwilightGardener]

2. Time to encourage Japan and South Korea to develop their own nuclear deterrence, then.

Happy, China and Russia? Should have called off your dog long ago.

[formercia]

3. Japan already has enough Plutonium

in storage. They had their spent fuel reprocessed for their Fast-Breeder program, but it wouldn't take a lot to convert it to weapons use.

They have enough to wipe out life on the Planet.

[davidpdx]

4. No, it isn't

If Japan and South Korea start building nuclear warheads we will have an arms race in Asia. In North Asia the only ones that has a deliverable nuke are China and Russia. I do agree that China needs to do more to rein in North Korea. Unfortunately given their strategy they have limited their options since they don't want North Korea to collapse

[TwilightGardener]

5. It would not be good. But that's what the NK situation will lead to if not brought under control.

I don't think either country expects (or wants) the US to always be there. On the plus side, Japan with nukes would add an interesting new dynamic to squabbles with China over islands or whatever.

[davidpdx]

6. I think the Japanese are morally opposed to nuclear weapons

given they are the only nation to have them used against them. Both countries have much better conventional weapons then North Korea. Right now the biggest threat would be mortars used against South Korea, followed by missiles for both countries. I have a strong feeling both countries have Patriot Missiles to intercept anything coming from North Korea. The real questions is how do we stop North Korea's nuclear development? We know the carrot and the stick isn't going to work anymore. They have gamed us on that one.

[TwilightGardener]

7. I guess either sanctions are lifted and they join the "club" on the condition that they

stop further development on ICBM's or other delivery systems, stop being aggressive with neighbors, and stop selling bombs and materials to other entities...and we would have to trust them not to blow us up. But John Kerry already just said we don't accept them as a nuclear state--plus accepting NK's nukes would encourage Iran and other not-totally-peaceful regimes in their pursuit of weapons (and would show them that breaking rules and promises, and acting totally nutz while their citizens suffer, actually DOES get you somewhere). Or, we try to get China to agree to provide them nuclear deterrence in exchange for dropping their nukes and getting mega-goodies to get their economy going, whatever that amounts to. I don't know, it's tough.