Japan defence review warns of enhanced North Korea threats

Record ID: 905745

  • Title: Japan defence review warns of enhanced North Korea threats
  • Date: 8th August 2017
  • Summary: HONG KONG, CHINA (FILE - JULY 11, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CHINA AIRCRAFT CARRIER, LIAONING, LEAVING HONG KONG
  • Embargoed: 22nd August 2017 05:38
  • Keywords: Itsunori Onodera defence white paper ICBM Japan Japan defence white paper missiles military North Korea Japan defence minister nuclear weapon China
  • Location: TOKYO, SENDAI, SAITAMA, FUNABASHI, GOTEMBA AND AT SEA, JAPAN / UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION AND PYONGYANG, NORTH KOREA / HONG KONG AND INNER MONGOLIA, CHINA
  • City: TOKYO, SENDAI, SAITAMA, FUNABASHI, GOTEMBA AND AT SEA, JAPAN / UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION AND PYONGYANG, NORTH KOREA / HONG KONG AND INNER MONGOLIA, CHINA
  • Country: Japan
  • Reuters ID: LVA0036TAPUF9
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Japan warned on Tuesday (August 8) of the acute threat posed by North Korea's weapons programmes as Pyongyang's continued series of missile and nuclear tests, in defiance of U.N. sanctions, brings technological progress to the reclusive state.
    Japan released its annual Defence White Paper after North Korea fired two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) last month on lofted trajectories to land off Japan's west coast. The White Paper said missiles launched on such a trajectory were difficult to intercept.
    The 563-page document also expressed concerns over China's expansion in the region. Tokyo's ties with Beijing have long been plagued by a territorial dispute over a group of tiny, uninhabited East China Sea islets and the legacy of Japan's wartime aggression.
    With North Korea pressing ahead with missile tests, a group of ruling party lawmakers led by Itsunori Onodera, who became defence minister last week, urged Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in March to consider acquiring the capability to hit enemy bases. That, if realised, would be a drastic change in Japan's defence posture as Tokyo has so far avoided taking the controversial and costly step of acquiring bombers or cruise missiles with enough range to strike other countries.
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