Japan, “North Korea and China are Threats to National Security”

Japan has come up with “New Defense Planning Initiative,” which defines China and North Korea’s movements as threats to its security and allows its Self Defense Force (SDF) to be dispatched overseas.

The Japanese government held a Cabinet meeting on Friday to decide the initiative and the “Medium-term Plan for Arranging Military Capacity (2005-2009),” and released measures to ease its “Three Principles on Arms Exports,” which bans exporting all kinds of weapons.

The new initiative, which is being revised for the first time in nine years, will allow the Japanese government to acquire advanced weapons, such as Aegis destroyers, tanker planes, and patriot interceptors, while reducing conventional weapons, such as tanks and fighters.

The initiative upgrades the SDF’s overseas operation from a subordinate to primary mission, thereby allowing it to be dispatched overseas at any time without additional procedures.

Won-Jae Park parkwj@donga.com