Gen. Nakatani, director general of Japan's Defense Agency, said Sunday that Japan has no imminent plan to join the newly proposed U.S. missile defense initiative.
"Currently, (Japan is) engaged in joint technical research on the theater missile defense (TMD) system with the United States... but the initiative (refers to) what the US is doing itself and at the moment, Japan will not take part in it," Nakatani said on a TV Asahi program.
Referring to his upcoming visit to the United States, Nakatani said Japan will decide from a comprehensive standpoint on how to deal with the US missile defense, after thoroughly listening to the US explanation on its objective, design and cost, among others.
As its official position, Japan has repeatedly expressed its "understanding" towards the initiative but remains vague on whether it will support it or not.
Nakatani is scheduled to meet U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld during his four-day U.S. visit beginning Thursday.
The Japanese Defense Agency chief also stressed that the joint TMD research with the U.S. is within the scope of the individual right of defense, but indicated there will "definitely be a problem on the right of collective self-defense" if Japan participates in the concept of the U.S. missile defense.
The Japanese government has said it has the right to collective self-defense under international law, but exercising that right is forbidden to Japan under Article 9 of the Constitution, which
renounces the use of force to settle international disputes.
(Xinhua 06/17/2001)
