Japan will prepare potential for "first strike" against the enemy

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Although Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will avoid the question of striking the enemy first, his government is ready to consider such a possibility, writes The Asahi Shimbun.

In June, Shinzo Abe, then prime minister, said that a new national security strategy was needed, and at the same time it should be discussed whether Japan should have a first strike on enemy missile bases.



But the document, which the Sugi administration will present next week, according to the publication, will only call for further discussions on strengthening deterrence capabilities.

While this cabinet’s actions may seem like a departure from a more aggressive stance, it also approved the development of a cruise missile that will have a greater range than those already in the IDF’s arsenal.

The Defense Ministry plans to include a 2021 billion yen ($ 33,5 million) request in the fiscal 321 budget for these purposes in the next five years.

Although the cruise missile is supposedly designed to protect remote islands, it, like the similar JASSM-ER system planned for F-15 fighters, will be capable of striking enemy missile bases.

Thus, Asahi Shimbun notes, although the new Japanese government cannot clearly state its intention to create a first strike force, it intends to move in this direction.

The document, which will be approved by the Sugi cabinet next week, will include language on whether Japan should have a first strike capability and what alternative will be used to replace the rejected Aegis Ashore missile defense system, sources said.

However, instead of a direct appeal, vague language about the need to contain the threat from North Korea's ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons will most likely be used. The call for further discussions on how to strengthen containment is a clear concession to the junior partner in the parliamentary coalition, Komeito Party, which has long been known for its pacifist leanings.

The Sugi administration is facing a difficult dilemma as the ruling Liberal Democratic Party drafted a document in August calling for the ability to hit an enemy on its territory before launching ballistic missiles.

All of these changes are taking place, in part, because the United States has also recently asked its allies to take on greater responsibility in matters of their own defense.

A senior government official told the publication that the upcoming document should be worded so as not to give the impression that the government of Yoshihide Sugi is abandoning plans to have a first strike potential.
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  1. sgrabik
    sgrabik
    +4
    13 December 2020 10: 14
    First of all, the Zircon hypersonic missiles must be delivered to protect the Kuriles from sudden rash steps of Japan, it is clear that if they are the first to decide to unleash a conflict, they will immediately receive a powerful and adequate response, but as they say: God protects the saved !!!
  2. beeper
    beeper
    +3
    13 December 2020 10: 38
    The revival of aggressive Japanese militarism is evident! negative
  3. lahudra
    lahudra
    -1
    13 December 2020 20: 18
    The Japanese know how to deliver the first blows.
  4. Jacques sekavar
    Jacques sekavar
    +2
    15 December 2020 10: 30
    Japan was a great world power at the initial stage of capitalist development and was striving to expand its territory by seizing and colonizing foreign lands - it was not chopped off.
    At the stage of imperialism, the priorities remained, but the methods and ways of enslaving other peoples and states have changed.
    Japan's economy is the third largest in the world and requires adequate power support, and the island state makes this need vital.
    Hence the new national security strategy, which implies not only the quantitative and qualitative improvement of the armed forces, but also a fundamental revision of the military strategy, including a nuclear-free status under the pretext of “containing” the PRC, North Korea, and the Russian Federation.
    The world dominance of the United States is based on the control of economic - the EU, financial - the IMF, military - NATO, political, legal and other international organizations.
    Japan, the most important US satrap in the Pacific region, which is becoming an arena of confrontation with China, and therefore the strengthening of Japan's military power does not contradict the interests of the United States.