Japan reinforcing military amid threats from China, NK

Japan is reinforcing its Self-Defense Force in the wake of China’s advance to Japanese waters and frequent provocations by North Korea while strengthening security ties with allies such as South Korea and the U.S.

The front pages of major Japanese dailies have recently carried news on strengthening national security.

Last month, Tokyo decided on a defense policy of expanding investment in high-tech weaponry, including submarines and fighter jets. Centered on enhancing the Self-Defense Force’s maneuverability and beefing up maritime surveillance and missile defense capabilities, the policy also specified bolstering military cooperation with allies.

The number of Japanese submarines will also rise from 16 to 22 and missile defense capabilities will be significantly boosted by introducing three more PAC-3 surface-to-air guided missiles and mounting two more SM-3 missiles on Aegis destroyers.

In addition, Japan’s NHK TV reported Thursday that Tokyo will relocate its missile defense command to a U.S. military base in the Japanese capital by March 2012. This is to enhance immediate response capability against incoming missiles detected by U.S. early warning satellites.

After April this year, Japan will buy PAC-3 missiles for deployment in Okinawa, Hokkaido and Tohoku.

The Self-Defense Force will also beef up its security surveillance satellite system for monitoring North Korea’s military installations and activities. Having launched in 2009 a 60 billion-yen (721.5 million U.S. dollars) surveillance satellite with the capability of recognizing ground objects as small as 60 centimeters, Japan plans to have four such satellites in orbit by 2012 to take pictures of target spots on the ground at least once a day.

Japan has the world’s most advanced rocket-building technology and this can be applied toward making ballistic missiles.

The Self-Defense Force’s military buildup apparently stems from Japan`s desire to keep in check China and North Korea. One fear, however, is that Tokyo might seek to strengthen military power beyond the restrictions of its pacifist Constitution.

Japan is also seeking a military alliance with South Korea for the first time. Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa is scheduled to visit Seoul Monday for talks with South Korean counterpart Kim Kwan-jin over agreements on mutual military support and sharing military intelligence.

While South Korea is careful about bilateral military cooperation due to Japan`s colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula, Tokyo is actively seeking it.

Last month, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan proposed sending Japanese troops to the peninsula to rescue Japanese nationals in the event of war. Though Tokyo took a step back due to the backlash against his comment, it obviously seeks to expand military cooperation with Seoul at every opportunity.

In the same vein, Japan is seeking trilateral security dialogue with the U.S. and India to keep in check China and North Korea under a multilateral security framework, as well as a security cooperation framework with South Korea, the U.S. and Australia.