Japan, the US and anti-ballistic missile systems
From TransPacificRadio in Setagaya, Tokyo, This is Alex Pappas with Shasetsu, an editorial.
The United States reportedly wants additional anti-ballistic missile radar systems to be built in Japan. The Pentagon has asked the Defense Agency for permission to install an additional X-band radar system in Japan to reinforce monitoring of possible North Korea’s ballistic missiles aimed at the United States.
The advanced X-band radar system has already been installed at the Air Self-Defense Force’s Shariki air station in Aomori Prefecture.
This news comes on the heals of the December 6 announcement that the United States and Japan plan to build a joint base in the Nagasaki Prefecture for the maintenance of Standard Missle-3 interceptors. According to sources in the Japanese Defense Agency, the facility would be located on a filled-in area off the coast near the United States Navy’s Hariojima ammunitions depot in Sasebo. The U.S. and Japan would each maintain their own missiles, although the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force would be able to ask the U.S. Military for technical assistance if it encountered problems, allowing it to minimize its costs.
The Defense Agency is considering the request, but the installation of the additional radar system could reignite debate in Japan about the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty. The treaty is very clear that Japan must provide facilities for the U.S. military on its soil but only to defend Japan and maintain peace and security in the east.
Its clear that the radar system here is really designed to defend the United States against any possible threat from North Korea. Curiously enough, Japan successfully tested a new surface-to-air missle system yesterday in a live training exercise. The system, known as the Chu-SAM, was test fired from Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas where Japanese forces have been training on their defensive missile systems. It has been tested six times previously at nearby White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico although the the launch was its first live training exercise. The Chu-SAM, manufactured by Mitsubishi Electronics, has a range of 50km (or 31 miles) and is capable of shooting down aircraft, air-to-surface missiles, and cruise missiles. Up to 10 missiles can be fired from a single launcher to destroy multiple threats. The Chu-SAM will replace the HAWK missiles that Japanese defense forces have been using since 1965.
So the question is if Japan can in fact defend itself, should it be allowed to do so, on its own?
According to U.S. Military sources, the additional X-band radar system would monitor ballistic missiles North Korea may launch against the U.S. But it would also help Japan in the exchange of information. The radar system would also strengthen the capability to monitor and track North Korean missiles targeting U.S. forces in South Korea and the U.S. Kadena Air Base in Okinawa Prefecture.
Because the radar emits intense radio waves, the site must be located in a coastal area along the Sea of Japan where nothing could block transmission.
Under the Japan – U.S. security treaty, the site also must belong to the Self Defense Forces and its components and equipment brought into the site by vehicles. So what that means is the United States is proposing to build this Anti-ballistic missile radar system but in fact it would be property of Japan itself.
The X-band radar system could be deployed at an SDF base in either the Kyushu or Chugoku regions along the Sea of Japan to monitor ballistic missiles aimed at the Kadena base and other targets.
When North Korea test-launched its missiles in July, the x-band radar system at the Shariki air station could not detect any of the seven missiles. The radar system monitors high-altitude airspace to detect and track missiles aimed at the United States, but North Korea’s missiles flew at a low altitude so the radar could not track.
The Japanese side also pointed out that the area the Pentagon is monitoring and the area Japan wants the United States to monitor do not match. So there seems to be some real hostility here as to new anti-ballistic missile radar system that the United States is proposing. But it seems that when the United States makes a request of this magnitude of this nature, its almost never turned down.
So there’s the debate. Does the United States continue to build up its military presence in Japan? Or does it hand over its military technology, information and knowledge to the Japanese Self Defense force so that can defend themselves on their own?
What do you think?
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