Japan stops short of support for U.S. missile shield

In this story: Calming China Regional defense Japan-U.S. alliance RELATED STORIES, SITES

TOKYO -- Japan backs a "vital" defense system in the east Asian region but has stopped short of expressing support for U.S. plans to set up a new missile defense shield.

"Our country understands the U.S. plan to study missile defenses to tackle the proliferation of ballistic missiles," the foreign ministry quoted a senior Japanese official as telling visiting U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage on Tuesday.

Asked whether Japan had given a "positive" response to the idea, a foreign ministry official said: "That is up to you to decide."

But the Japanese official added that Tokyo welcomed Washington's plans to discuss the scheme not only with its allies, but also with other nations such as Russia and China.

Calming China

Japan's caution apparently meant to avoid angering China which has vehemently criticized Bush's plan to set up a new missile shield.

Beijing and Moscow have long opposed the proposed missile defense system, saying it would trigger a new arms race.

Key U.S. allies in Europe and Canada are also deeply sceptical of the idea.

The United States says it has to protect itself from "rogue nations" like North Korea and Iraq.

Armitage and his delegation are in Tokyo to seek support for U.S. President George W. Bush's military initiative and are due to visit South Korea and India later this week.

Regional defense

While Japanese officials refrained from voicing strong support for Bush's missile shield, they did stress the importance of regional missile defense to protect Japan and U.S. troops based in the country.

"Such a system is vital in the defense policy of our country," the foreign ministry official said.

Tokyo began looking into the system after North Korea launched a ballistic missile over Japan in August 1998.

But China fears the system could be extended to cover Taiwan, which it considers a renegade province that broke away amid civil war in 1949.

Japanese officials agreed with Armitage to continue the regional defense project.

Japan-U.S. alliance

Tokyo and Washington boosted their military alliance in 1998 to its highest level since the end of World War Two.

The alliance set off fears in China that the stronger ties were aimed at protecting Taiwan if China takes military action against the island it considers a renegade province.

China was invaded by Japanese forces in the first half of the 20th century and has repeatedly warned against closer security ties between Japan and the United States.

Apart from a standoff over the security issue, Japan has been locked in bitter disputes with China over a string of trade and diplomatic issues, including a controversial visit to Japan last month by former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Asian nations split over U.S. missile defense plans
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Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The White House

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