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Escalating tensions: The regional response to North Korea's growing missile threat

[Content preview – Subscribe to Jane’s Defence Weekly for full article]

As North Korea continues to develop and test nuclear weapons and ballistic missile

systems, neighbouring Japan and South Korea are enhancing their missile defence

capabilities to counter the growing military threat from Pyongyang. Gabriel Dominguez

examines the latest developments

Despite UN sanctions barring North Korea from conducting any test of nuclear or ballistic missile

technology, the communist regime in Pyongyang has continued to engage in demonstrations of

military might over the past few months, the most significant of which have been the country’s sixth

nuclear test and the successful test firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

On 3 September the KCNA released images showing North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (fourth from left) standing next to a device that the media outlet claimed was a hydrogen bomb designed to be loaded onto an ICBM. (KCNA)

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On 3 September the secretive country claimed a successful underground test, near its nuclear test

site at Punggye-ri, of a hydrogen bomb designed to be mounted on an ICBM. While the US

Geological Survey and the China Earthquake Administration detected a magnitude 6.3 quake at

the time, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) measured the quake’s magnitude at 5.7,

compared with the 5.04 it measured during the North’s fifth nuclear test.

While the South Korean Ministry of National Defense (MND) in Seoul estimated the yield of the

blast at 50–60 kt, the latest estimate provided by Japan’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) put it at 160

kt. Although these numbers may still be revised, it is clear that the explosion was much stronger

than that of the North’s previous nuclear test in September 2016, which was estimated at 10 kt.

[Continued in full version…]

North Korea’s first ICBM






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The North Koreans have a vast arsenal of conventional artillery weapons and rockets that they

could use to threaten, and potentially destroy, key targets and locations in South Korea, including

the capital Seoul, in case of a conflict. However, they also know that any attack on either the South

or Japan would trigger an immediate military response from their key ally: the United States.

This is why Pyongyang has also been seeking to develop the ballistic missile capabilities required

to extend its nuclear deterrence across the Pacific Ocean and strike at potential targets as far

away as the US territory of Guam, in the western Pacific, and the US mainland.

While it is still unclear whether Pyongyang has already managed to miniaturise a nuclear warhead

that can be fitted onto a ballistic missile, the regime recently revealed that it may already have the

means of delivering it: the Hwasong-14 ICBM (also known in South Korea as the KN-20).

Following North Korea's 4 July ballistic missile test, the United States confirmed Pyongyang's claim that it was the communist regime's first ICBM. (KCNA)

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The first known launch of the missile took place on 4 July, when it reached an altitude of 2,802 km

and flew 933 km before falling in the Sea of Japan (also known as the East Sea).

During a second launch on 28 July the missile reached an altitude of 3,725 km and flew a linear

distance of 998 km before coming down, according to Pyongyang’s Korean Central News Agency

(KCNA): an indication that the missile should be able to achieve a nominal range of more than

10,000 km. A ballistic missile is considered an ICBM when its range exceeds 5,500 km, according

to the US intelligence community.

A range of more than 10,000 km would allow the missile to potentially target the whole of the US

western seaboard, as well as cities as far away as Chicago, although it is not known what payload

mass the missile was carrying when it was test-fired.

That said, Robert Kelley, a former director of the IAEA and a Los Alamos National Laboratory

nuclear engineer, told Jane’s that the fact that Pyongyang fired the missile in a lofted trajectory is

an indication that the regime does not have a complete missile flight test programme.

“Flights limited to observation from the Korean mainland reinforce the view that North Korea does

not have range instrumentation ships that should be at the impact area some 10,000 km away.






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The country is blind to missile performance once the missile goes over the horizon, and is lacking

basic knowledge about range, accuracy, and payload survivability,” said Kelley, adding that the

Hwasong-14 is still in “an early stage of development”.

The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), General Joe Dunford, publicly acknowledged

on 22 July that North Korea is capable of launching what he called “a limited missile attack”, but

emphasised that the United States can defend against such an attack “on Seoul, Japan, and the

United States”.

Gen Dunford’s statements came after General Paul J Selva, vice-chairman of the JCS, told the US

Senate Armed Services Committee on 18 July that while North Korean missiles may now have the

necessary range to reach parts of the United States, the ICBM test does not demonstrate that

Pyongyang has the capability to strike the United States “with any degree of accuracy or

reasonable confidence of success”.

That said, Pyongyang also claimed on 3 September that its newly developed nuclear device can

be detonated at high altitudes as part of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack, possibly aimed at

shutting down parts of the US electricity grid.


IRBMs and MRBMs

North Korea has also launched the Hwasong-12 (known in South Korea as the KN-17)

intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM): a type first displayed during the 15 April parade held in

Pyongyang to mark the 105th anniversary of the birth of the country's late founder, Kim Il-sung.

North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile called the Hwasong-12 on 14 May that reached an altitude of more than 2,000 km. (KCNA)

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The first publicly announced test-firing of the IRBM took place on 14 May, when it reached an

altitude of about 2,111 km and flew a linear distance of some 787 km before falling into the Sea of

Japan, according to the KCNA.






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Described by Pyongyang as a “long-range strategic rocket … capable of carrying a large-size

nuclear warhead”, the Hwasong-12 also made international headlines on 29 August when it

became the first such missile to fly over Japan after being fired from a site in Sunan, near

Pyongyang.

The MoD in Tokyo said at the time that the missile reached an altitude of about 550 km and

travelled a linear distance of some 2,700 km as it flew over Japan’s northern Hokkaido Prefecture.

On 21 May North Korea test-fired a Pukkuksong-2 (also referred to in South Korea as the KN-15

and in the United States as the Bukkeukseong-2) medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM), with

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later declaring the weapon system ready for operational

deployment and mass production.

North Korea confirmed that it successfully test-fired a Pukkuksong-2 MRBM (pictured) on 21 May, with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un declaring the weapon system ready for operational deployment and mass production. (Rodong Sinmun)

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Based on its shape, size, range, and other characteristics, the land-based Pukkuksong-2 appears

to be derived from technology developed for the naval the Pukkuksong-1 (also known in South

Korea as the KN-11) submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), which flew about 500 km (311

miles) when it was fired on 24 August 2016.


SRBMs and anti-ship cruise missiles

Moreover, on 29 May the communist regime launched what appears to have been a new

precision-guided version of their R-17 (SS-1C 'Scud B') -based short-range ballistic missile

(SRBM), shortly after announcing that it successfully tested what was probably an improved

version of the country's Pongae-5 (also known in South Korea as the KN-06) surface-to-air missile

(SAM) system.

The SRBM, which was fired in an easterly direction from an area near North Korea's eastern port

city of Wonsan, in Kangwon Province, reached an altitude of 120 km and travelled a linear

distance of about 400 km (249 miles) before falling into waters within Japan's exclusive economic

zone (EEZ) in the Sea of Japan.






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This image shows what appear to be North Korean 152 mm M1974 SPHs (front) and 170 mm M1989 Koksan SPHs (back) firing in what South Korean officials say is an area near the eastern port city of Wonsan. (KCNA)

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Images released by the KCNA at the time revealed that the missile’s body is almost identical to

that of the Hwasong-5 (KN-03) or Hwasong-6 (KN-04)-based SRBMs, which are derivatives of the

Russian R-17, but that its payload section is different.

The new missile was shown equipped with what appeared to be a manoeuvrable re-entry vehicle

(MaRV) that was first seen during North Korea’s 15 April parade. Such a missile would enable the

North to carry out precision attacks against targets up to a range of approximately 400–500 km,

which was not possible with earlier ‘Scud’-like missiles.

In addition, on 8 June the country fired what appears to have been a salvo of anti-ship cruise

missiles from its east coast. KCNA images of the event showed that the transport-erector-launcher

(TEL) vehicles used to fire the missiles were similar to those that were paraded by the communist

regime on 15 April.

On that day Pyongyang displayed a number of tracked TELs carrying launch tubes consistent with

the North Korean version of the Russian 3M24 ASCM. The 3M24-like missile had previously been

fired from North Korean missile patrol boats, but the event marked the first time the missile was

shown being fired by a land-based vehicle.






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North Korea test-fired on 8 June a salvo of what appears to have been the country's version of the Russian 3M24 ASCM. (KCNA)

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The naval version of the missile is thought to be referred to by the North Koreans as the Geum

Seong-2, while the costal defence version is believed to be called the Geum Seong-3.

A few weeks earlier, on 6 March, Pyongyang launched four SRBMs as part of what it claimed was

an exercise to strike US military bases in Japan. It is estimated that all of the missiles travelled

approximately 1,000 km before falling into the Sea of Japan: an indication that they were

extended-range (ER) North Korean variants of the R-17 ‘Scud’-like missile known as the

Hwasong-9. The range attained by the missiles would allow the Japanese mainland to be targeted

if launch sites on North Korea's east coast were used.

North Korean state media released photographs of what appears to have been the launch of four Hwasong-9 SRBMs on 6 March as part of what it claimed was an exercise to strike US military bases in Japan. (KCNA)

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The North Koreans are also known to have a number of larger tactical ballistic missiles, such as

the Hwasong-7 (also referred to as the No Dong, and known as the Rodong to the United States

and the KN-05 to South Korea), along with the mid-range ballistic missiles and Hwasong-10 (also

known as KN-07 and Musudan) IRBMs.


Further testing required

Pyongyang has triggered widespread international criticism and condemnation whenever it has

carried out a nuclear or ballistic missile tests and the UN Security Council has passed several

resolutions against the communist regime in response.

However, the North Koreans will almost certainly need to conduct even more provocative tests of

its missile systems out to their full range before they can declare them operational. This is

probably why the KCNA announced on 30 August that further ballistic missiles would be test-fired

into the Pacific Ocean in the future.

The flight path taken by the Hwasong-12 on 29 August was almost certainly chosen to minimise

the risk posed to people on the ground as well as the potential political ramifications as the missile






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overflew the southern-most tip of the island of Hokkaido, thereby spending as little time as

possible over Japanese land.

Seoul goes on the defensive

The escalating threat arising from the nuclear-armed North, along with the exchange of bellicose

rhetoric between Washington and Pyongyang, has prompted South Korea to increase its defence

spending and speed up its development of indigenous weaponry.

For instance, the MND in Seoul announced on 29 August that the country’s defence budget in

2018 will increase by 6.9% to KRW43.1 trillion (USD38.2 billion) – the biggest yearly hike since

2009 – from North Korea.

The budget, which will be submitted to the National Assembly for approval, features funding of

KRW13.4 billion for defence modernisation, including armament procurement and research and

development (R&D). A vast amount of this funding will be directed towards South Korea’s

continuing programme to develop its 'three-axis' defence strategy.

The MND said funds allocated to the three-axis programme will increase by nearly 14% to

KRW4.3 trillion as part of a bid to accelerate its induction. Under previous plans the three-axis

strategy was intended to be introduced by the mid-2020s but the MND is now planning its initiation

in the early 2020s.

The three-axis strategy features the development and acquisition of a range of interlinked

capabilities and assets intended to provide a comprehensive defence and deterrence system.


Indigenous developments

A series of indigenously developed missile systems are set to play a key role in the three-axis

programme, including the Hyeonmu-2 (pronounced: Hyunmoo) series of ballistic missiles, the

Cheongung ('Celestial/Firmament') Korean medium-range surface-to-air missile (KM-SAM or M-

SAM) and the Tactical Surface Launch Missile (TSLM).






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South Korea announced in June that it would begin mass-producing an improved variant of the Cheongung M-SAM later this year. (ADD)

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For example, South Korea announced in June that it would begin mass-producing an improved

variant of the Cheongung M-SAM later this year. The hit-to-kill (HTK) missile interceptor, which

has been designed to engage incoming ballistic missile targets at an altitude of about 20 km, "was

rated fit for combat operations after meeting all the requirements at a test conducted earlier this

month", a South Korean defence official was quoted by the Yonhap news agency as saying at the

time.

The move marked the completion of the development of the improved HTK missile, which was led

by the country's Agency for Defense Development (ADD) in co-operation with South Korean

companies such as LIG Nex1. Known in its project phase as Cheolmae 2 ('Iron Hawk 2'), the

Cheongung SAM system will eventually replace South Korea's MIM-23 HAWK (Homing All the

Way Killer) family of SAM systems, which are locally referred to as Cheolmae.

The improved Cheongung, which is scheduled to be deployed during 2018–19, is set to be

operated in addition to the US Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile systems.

Other missiles set to enter service even sooner are the land-based 500 km-range Hyeonmu-2B –

the profile and general overall design of which is similar to that used by the Russian 9M723 missile

from the 9K720 Iskander-M system – and the 800 km-range Hyeonmu-2C missile.


New shipborne capabilities

Media reports have suggested that South Korea is also developing submarine-launched ballistic

missiles (SLBMs) for its latest and more capable attack submarines currently under construction.

"On the 3,000-tonne Jangbogo-III (also known as KSS-3) submarine, which is currently under

production, we are installing a vertical launching pad," a high-ranking South Korean military official

told Korea JoongAng Daily on 30 May, stressing that this indicates that an SLBM "is already under

development".

While the official failed to mention the name of the prototype, he pointed out that the SLBM is

being developed under the aegis of the Agency of Defense Development (ADD) and is expected to

be completed by 2020. It is possible that the missile in question is a variant of one of the missiles

from South Korea's Hyeonmu-2 ballistic missile family.

Meanwhile, South Korean frigates will soon have the capability of striking land targets with the

recently developed vertically launched (VL) TSLM. Developed by the ADD over a seven-year

period, this short-range land-attack cruise missile is a variant of the slant-launched (SL) TSLM,

which itself is based on the Haeseong (SSM-700K) anti-ship cruise missile.

The TSLM is meant to equip the Republic of Korea Navy's (RoKN's) FFX-II and FFX-III-class

frigates. Mass production of this missile will begin next year, with deployment expected in 2019,

according to the country's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).


Missiles for ‘decapitation’ operations






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The Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) has also been enhancing similar capabilities. For

example, in October 2016 it began receiving from Germany a Korean version of the Taurus KEPD

350 cruise missile. The service had signed a contract for the missile, known as the Taurus KEPD

350K, in November 2013, with reports putting the number at either 170 or 180 missiles.

A Taurus KEPD 350K missile being displayed for the first time in front of its F-15K Slam Eagle host aircraft at the ADEX 2015 defence exhibition in Seoul. (IHS Markit/James Hardy)

1643854

The missile is being integrated onto the RoKAF's Boeing F-15K Slam Eagle fleet. It is an

enhanced version of the Taurus KEPD 350 fielded by Germany and Spain on its Panavia Tornado,

and Boeing EF-18 Hornet and Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft respectively.

The baseline Taurus KEPD 350 missile is a 350–500 km-class weapon designed for use against

hardened and buried targets with its Multi-Effect Penetrator Highly Sophisticated and Target

Optimised (MEPHISTO) penetrator warhead and intelligent fuzing system.

In a similar development a Yonhap report revealed in late June that United States Forces Korea

(USFK) had deployed the air-launched Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) to South

Korea for use by US Air Force (USAF) F-16 fighters operating from Kunsan Air Base.

"USFK has more than 10 long-range precision-guided [cruise] missiles capable of hitting major

facilities in [the North Korean capital] Pyongyang even when fired south of the inter-Korean

border," the media outlet quoted multiple defence sources in Seoul as saying on 26 June.

The report did not specify which of the two missile variants – the AGM-158A JASSM (baseline) or

the AGM-158B JASSM-ER (extended range) – was deployed to the northeast Asian nation.


No warhead weight limit






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An important event for the future development of South Korea’s indigenous missiles took place in

the wake of North Korea’s sixth nuclear test when US President Donald Trump and his South

Korean counterpart, Moon Jae-in, agreed on 4 September to lift the warhead weight limit for the

country’s missiles as stipulated in US-South Korean guidelines.

That said, it seems that South Korean missiles will still be bound to their maximum strike range of

800 km. Although this range may seem short compared with that of North Korean ballistic missiles,

it allows the government in Seoul to target most of North Korea’s territory from a distance of

approximately 225 km south of the 38th Parallel.

The original US-South Korean ballistic missile guidelines of 1997 only allowed the northeast Asian

country to use the Hyeonmu-2A missile, which has a 300 km range while carrying a 500 kg

warhead.

A revision of these guidelines in 2012 permitted Seoul to extend the range and/or payload of its

ballistic missiles. It allowed for South Korean ballistic missiles to have a maximum range of 800 km

while carrying a 500 kg warhead; of 500 km while carrying a 1,000 kg warhead; and of 300 km

while carrying a 2,000 kg warhead.

Washington and Seoul agreed on 4 September to lift the warhead weight limit for South Korean missiles. This image shows what appears to be an 800 km-range Hyeonmu-2C ballistic missile being fired from a truck-mounted launcher. (South Korean MND)

1709075

President Moon has pledged to complete the three-axis programme as early as possible, since it is

also a precondition for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) of South Korean

troops from US command.

The United States continues to play a crucial role in RoK’s deterrence strategy and defence

against a possible North Korean attack. According to Jane’s World Armies , wartime OPCON of

RoK and US forces in Korea has rested with the United States since 1950. In 1978 the RoK-US

Combined Forces Command was established, with a US army general in command and a RoK

Army general as deputy commander.


The THAAD factor






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The US commitment to the defence of South Korea and Japan remains steadfast, with the threat

posed by Pyongyang only leading to these three countries strengthening military ties. The

countries also engage in a number of annual military exercises, which Pyongyang regards as

rehearsals for an invasion of the North.

The United States, which has emphasised its “ironclad commitment” to Japan and South Korea,

has key military assets in both countries and has temporarily deployed aircraft carriers and

nuclear-powered submarines to Northeast Asia on several occasions in an effort to deter

Pyongyang from continuing its development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

It has also deployed an advanced air defence system to South Korea that could play an important

role in countering the North’s missile threat. In July 2016 Washington and Seoul announced that

they had agreed to deploy a battery of the US Army's Terminal High Altitude Area Defense

(THAAD) system in the northeast Asian country to complement Seoul’s ‘three-axis' strategy.

One of the six THAAD launchers deployed by the US military in South Korea to counter the missile threat posed by North Korea. (South Korean MND)

1709112

In March the first elements of the system began arriving at Osan Air Base in South Korea, with

officials from both countries announcing two months later that the system – deployed in Seongju

County, North Gyeongsang Province – had reached initial operational capability.

THAAD is a long-range, land-based theatre defence system. The easily transportable battery of

weapons is designed to engage incoming tactical and theatre ballistic missiles out to 200 km and

intercept them as high as 150 km.

A full THAAD battery includes the AN/TPY-2 radar, which can detect incoming targets at about or

beyond 1,000 km. The system also includes six to nine HEMTT-based truck-mounted launchers

that can carry eight interceptors for at least 48 interceptors to fully arm a battery. The launchers

can be reloaded in about 30 minutes.

While other US missile defence systems, such as the naval Aegis and its SM-3 series of anti-

ballistic missiles are also present in the region, THAAD will act as one of the upper tiers of a more

complex air defence system within the South Korean context.

That said, the deployment has been controversial because of Chinese and Russian opposition and

concerns by residents that the area could become a prime target for North Korean missile attacks.

There are also concerns that its powerful radar would affect residents' health and damage crops.






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Japan: USD1.6 billion on missile defence

North Korea’s actions have also triggered widespread criticism and concern in Japan. Prime

Minister Shinzo Abe has repeatedly condemned what he refers to as Pyongyang’s provocations,

saying that North Korea’s nuclear and missile development has entered “a new level of threat –

more grave and imminent – against Japan’s national security”, which “seriously undermines” the

peace and security of the region as well as the international community.

To further enhance its defence capabilities the MoD in Tokyo proposed on 31 August an increase

in defence spending of 2% to JPY5.26 trillion (USD48 billion) in fiscal year 2018. Included in this

request is JPY179 billion (USD1.6 billion) intended to boost the country’s missile defences.

The move includes a funding request for the procurement of air defence equipment likely to centre

around the Lockheed Martin Aegis Ashore ballistic missile defence (BMD) system, which Tokyo is

considering. A final decision on the acquisition of the Aegis Ashore is expected by the end of the

year, an MoD official has told Jane’s .

The ministry asked for JPY65.7 billion to buy Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) Block IIA and SM-3 Block

IB ballistic missile interceptors for the Aegis-equipped ships operated by the Japanese Maritime

Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). The SM-3 Block IIA is being developed co-operatively by the United

States and Japan to defeat MRBMs and IRBMs. It is a new, developmental interceptor designed to

operate as part of the Aegis BMD system and can be launched from Aegis-equipped ships or

Aegis Ashore sites. It is not yet fielded by either country.

The Aegis Ashore site in Romania. The Japanese government is considering procuring the ballistic missile defence system to counter the growing missile threat posed by North Korea. (US MDA)

1536143

The Aegis BMD system currently operates with the SM-3 Block 1A, SM-3 Block 1B, and SM-6

interceptors.






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Japan’s MoD also requested JPY20.5 billion to acquire the latest PAC-3 Missile Segment

Enhancement (MSE) interceptor for the Patriot air defence systems used by the Japan Air Self-

Defense Force (JASDF).

In fact, in late August and early September, the JASDF temporarily deployed Patriot missile

batteries to several US military installations in the country to practise and refine its ability to rapidly

respond to North Korean missile threats, as well as to test the interoperability of Japanese and US

forces.

A surface-to-air Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile interceptor launcher vehicle. (JASDF)

1709121


Supersonic missile for JASDF F-2s?

Japanese media reported in July that the government in Tokyo is also considering equipping

JASDF F-2 fighter aircraft with a new supersonic anti-ship missile from the next fiscal year.

Japanese media reported in July that the government in Tokyo is considering equipping JASDF F-2 fighter aircraft with the supersonic XASM-3 anti-ship missile from the next fiscal year. (TRDI)

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Although the name of the new missile was not revealed, it is likely that the media reports were

referring to the ASM-3 (currently known as the XASM-3 because it is still under development),

which is an anti-ship missile being jointly developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and the

Japanese MoD as a successor to Japan's Type 93 series of missiles.

The missile, which has an estimated top speed of Mach 3, is reported to incorporate several

'stealthy' features, including a low radar cross-section design and the use of low-reflectivity and/or

radar-absorbing composite materials, and could be used to target North Korean warships in case

of a conflict.

Moreover, the Tokyo-based Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported in late June that Japan may be

considering arming the JASDF’s burgeoning fleet of Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint

Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft with the air-launched, precision-guided Joint Strike Missile (JSM) being

developed by Norwegian company Kongsberg.

US Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II fighters, US Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers, and JASDF F-15J fighters conduct a sortie in response to North Korea’s launch of a Hwasong-12 IRBM that flew over northern Japan on 29 August. (JASDF)

1693399

However, then Japanese defence minister Tomomi Inada rejected the reports at the time, saying,

"I believe that there is no constitutional problem with possessing capabilities not exceeding the

minimum level necessary for self defence, but possessing an offensive weapon intended to be

used exclusively for the purpose of inflicting destructive damage to other countries' territories

exceeds the minimum level necessary for self defence. Therefore, I believe that possessing such

weapons is not permissible in any situation."

After Japan's defeat in the Second World War the country adopted a war-renouncing constitution,


Japan’s ‘collective self-defence’






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This does not mean, however, that Japan would not come to the aid of the United States in case of

North Korean aggression. In fact, Inada’s successor at the MoD, Itsunori Onodera, warned

Pyongyang on 10 August that a missile attack on the US territory of Guam, which Pyongyang has

described as “an advanced base of invasion”, would breach the US deterrence against an attack

on Japan, thus allowing Tokyo to exercise the right to ‘collective self-defence’.

A day earlier North Korea had issued a statement saying that it was considering firing four

Hwasong-12 IRBMs simultaneously towards waters 30–40 km off Guam, effectively as a “show of

force” to the US government.

In response Onodera said that an attack on Guam would be considered a “survived threatening

situation” in Japan, or a Japanese national emergency, because it would threaten Japan’s

existence as a nation. In such circumstances, he said, Japan could activate its Aegis-destroyer-

based missile defence system.

“Japan plays a shield role of defence, while the US plays a spear role of offensive capability with

deterrence,” Onodera said at a parliamentary session. “Considering that Japan’s deterrence is

boosted by both roles, lacking American deterrence and attack capability means Japan may fall

into a danger [that threatens] the nation's existence.”

A Japanese defence law that took effect last year allows the Japan Self-Defence Forces to defend

the United States and other allies should they come under enemy attack.

Japan has not only boosted defence ties with Washington but is also increasingly co-ordinating its

reactions to North Korean provocations with Seoul. On 23 November 2016 Japan and South

Korea signed an agreement to share military intelligence amid concerns about the threat posed by

North Korea.


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