Japan Press Weekly

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2013 August 21 - 27 [SDF]

DefMin says Japan should be able to attack enemy base

Defense Minister Onodera Itsunori on August 26 expressed the need to possess a first strike capability to attack enemy bases in order to prevent a North Korea ballistic missile attack.

“In order to have a proper security response, we have to strike an enemy’s attack base,” said Onodera during his lecture in Tokyo.

He indicated a possibility for the Japanese and U.S. governments to examine this topic during their upcoming talks to revise the bilateral Defense Cooperation Guidelines.

The defense minister also stated that the Japanese government is considering purchasing surveillance drones as well as developing its own drone technology.

While mentioning strong domestic concerns over the safety of the military aircraft Osprey, Onodera said that the state plans to introduce them to the Self-Defense Forces for the “defense of remote islands.”

“It is important to offer Japan’s defense technologies to many countries”, said Onodera, indicating his intention to further undermine the country’s three principles banning arms exports.