The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's Aegis guided missile destroyers are modified versions of the American Arleigh Burke class destroyer employing the Aegis combat system. In the Japanese arsenal, Kongà � class destroyers. In 2007 the JDS Kongà � guided missile destroyer conducted a successful test of an American Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IA interceptor against a ballistic missile off Hawaii, the first time a non-American warship launched one of the missiles in a test of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System.
In October of 2009 the JS Myoko Aegis class destroyer intercepted a medium-range ballistic missile in a test off Hawaii.
Late this October the recently upgraded JS Kirishima destroyer fired an SM-3 missile 100 miles over Hawaii to bring down a ballistic missile target, a "significant milestone in the growing cooperation between Japan and the
U.S. in the area of missile defense." [14]
Commenting on Japan's new military blueprint, the New York Times revealed that the country's "sweeping overhaul of its cold war-era defense strategy" will be released as "the United States is making new calls for Japan to increase its military role in eastern Asia in response to recent provocations by North Korea as well as China's more assertive stance in the region."
"The United States has used Japan's concerns as an opportunity to strengthen ties with the country, its largest and most important Asian ally, and to nudge Japan toward a more active role in the region. In particular, Washington has proposed stronger three-way military ties that would also include its other key regional ally, South Korea."
"Japan has slowly begun to shed some of the postwar [restrictions] against a larger Asian role for its military, known as the Self-Defense Forces, one of the largest and most technologically advanced in the region."
"In another sign of growing coordination, South Korea's vice minister of defense, Lee Yong-gul, visited Tokyo late last week for talks with his Japanese counterpart, Kimito Nakae, on increasing bilateral cooperation." [15]
The Financial Times stated: "Defence policy guidelines set to be unveiled by Tokyo this month...will signal a historic refocusing of Japan's army and other forces toward securing islands in the southern Nansei chain that are seen as threatened by China's rapidly growing military power."
"Tokyo has already deployed more advanced fighters to the southern island of Okinawa and beefed up army units there, but China's deployment of new submarines, supersonic anti-ship missiles and advanced fighters is seen as challenging US and Japanese military superiority in an area that includes sea lanes vital to the trade-dependent economy."
In regards to the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands, the British daily added: "Early steps are likely to include new island radar stations, with small army units to guard them. Some analysts say anti-ship missiles should later be deployed along the Nansei chain to support naval forces in the area." [16]
On December 11 Kyodo News cited a draft appendix to the new defense policy guidelines in reporting that Japan will be "equipping all [its] six Aegis destroyers with Standard Missile-3 interceptors" and that "Patriot Advanced Capability-3 interceptor missiles will be deployed at air bases nationwide."
The news source also disclosed that the "PAC-3 missile system, designed to shoot down an incoming missile from the ground moments before reaching its target, will be deployed by all six Air Self-Defense Force air-defense missile groups from three at present." [17]
In fact, Japanese disarmament activists have identified twelve air bases where Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles have already been installed: Those at Aibano, Ashiya, Gifu, Hakusan, Hamamatsu, Iruma, Kasuga, Kasumigaura, Narashino, Takaradai, Takeyama and Tsuiki. [18] The U.S. also has a Patriot battery at the Kadena Air Base on Okinawa.
Japan's white paper is similar to that of Australia's of last year, "Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific century: force 2030," [19] which details the nation's largest military buildup - at a price tag of $72 billion - since the Second World War, and New Zealand's of last month, which advocates "closer military relations with the United States, Australia, Britain and Canada, as well as enhanced front-line capabilities." [20]
In all three cases nations tied to the U.S. through Cold War-era defense treaties are expanding the sophistication and breadth of their military forces in the Asia-Pacific area. Shortly after Secretary of State Clinton, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen visited his country last month, Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, until last summer his nation's head of state, asserted that "Australia could be drawn in to any military conflict on the Korean peninsula under its alliance with the US." That is, because of obligations imposed by the Australia, New Zealand, United States (ANZUS) Security Treaty. [21]
North Korea only goes so far in serving as the justification for the expansion of expeditionary military capabilities and deeper integration with the Pentagon's plans for the region.
In October of 2009 the JS Myoko Aegis class destroyer intercepted a medium-range ballistic missile in a test off Hawaii.
Late this October the recently upgraded JS Kirishima destroyer fired an SM-3 missile 100 miles over Hawaii to bring down a ballistic missile target, a "significant milestone in the growing cooperation between Japan and the
U.S. in the area of missile defense." [14]
Commenting on Japan's new military blueprint, the New York Times revealed that the country's "sweeping overhaul of its cold war-era defense strategy" will be released as "the United States is making new calls for Japan to increase its military role in eastern Asia in response to recent provocations by North Korea as well as China's more assertive stance in the region."
"Japan has slowly begun to shed some of the postwar [restrictions] against a larger Asian role for its military, known as the Self-Defense Forces, one of the largest and most technologically advanced in the region."
"In another sign of growing coordination, South Korea's vice minister of defense, Lee Yong-gul, visited Tokyo late last week for talks with his Japanese counterpart, Kimito Nakae, on increasing bilateral cooperation." [15]
The Financial Times stated: "Defence policy guidelines set to be unveiled by Tokyo this month...will signal a historic refocusing of Japan's army and other forces toward securing islands in the southern Nansei chain that are seen as threatened by China's rapidly growing military power."
"Tokyo has already deployed more advanced fighters to the southern island of Okinawa and beefed up army units there, but China's deployment of new submarines, supersonic anti-ship missiles and advanced fighters is seen as challenging US and Japanese military superiority in an area that includes sea lanes vital to the trade-dependent economy."
In regards to the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands, the British daily added: "Early steps are likely to include new island radar stations, with small army units to guard them. Some analysts say anti-ship missiles should later be deployed along the Nansei chain to support naval forces in the area." [16]
On December 11 Kyodo News cited a draft appendix to the new defense policy guidelines in reporting that Japan will be "equipping all [its] six Aegis destroyers with Standard Missile-3 interceptors" and that "Patriot Advanced Capability-3 interceptor missiles will be deployed at air bases nationwide."
The news source also disclosed that the "PAC-3 missile system, designed to shoot down an incoming missile from the ground moments before reaching its target, will be deployed by all six Air Self-Defense Force air-defense missile groups from three at present." [17]
In fact, Japanese disarmament activists have identified twelve air bases where Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles have already been installed: Those at Aibano, Ashiya, Gifu, Hakusan, Hamamatsu, Iruma, Kasuga, Kasumigaura, Narashino, Takaradai, Takeyama and Tsuiki. [18] The U.S. also has a Patriot battery at the Kadena Air Base on Okinawa.
Japan's white paper is similar to that of Australia's of last year, "Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific century: force 2030," [19] which details the nation's largest military buildup - at a price tag of $72 billion - since the Second World War, and New Zealand's of last month, which advocates "closer military relations with the United States, Australia, Britain and Canada, as well as enhanced front-line capabilities." [20]
In all three cases nations tied to the U.S. through Cold War-era defense treaties are expanding the sophistication and breadth of their military forces in the Asia-Pacific area. Shortly after Secretary of State Clinton, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen visited his country last month, Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, until last summer his nation's head of state, asserted that "Australia could be drawn in to any military conflict on the Korean peninsula under its alliance with the US." That is, because of obligations imposed by the Australia, New Zealand, United States (ANZUS) Security Treaty. [21]
North Korea only goes so far in serving as the justification for the expansion of expeditionary military capabilities and deeper integration with the Pentagon's plans for the region.
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