Posted on 10/22/2006 7:01:00 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
MSDF set to monitor 2 sea-lanes / To check ships near Okinawa, Tsushima Strait
The Yomiuri Shimbun
The government intends to conduct inspections of cargo to and from North Korea in the Tsushima Strait and in waters northwest of Okinawa, in line with a U.N. Security Council resolution, sources said Saturday.
As part of sanctions imposed in response to North Korea's nuclear test, the government is considering deploying several destroyers and P-3C patrol aircraft of the Maritime Self-Defense Force to the two sea areas and airspace.
According to the outline of the government's action plan on possible inspections of cargo to and from North Korea, the MSDF is expected to engage in warning and surveillance activities regarding ships heading to North Korea.
If a suspicious ship is spotted, the MSDF is to notify and provide information to U.S. forces and other foreign forces deployed in waters off the coasts of North Korea.
The government plans to coordinate with the United States and other countries to complete the outline, according to the sources.
Following the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Japan on Wednesday, the government and the United States began working-level talks on details of planned ship inspections. A government source said that, other than the United States and Australia, ships from countries such as Britain, France, Russia and South Korea might participate in the inspections.
In regards to coordinating ship inspections, units from participating countries, including U.S. forces, will be deployed in waters on either side of the Korean Peninsula--in the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea.
Japan will monitor cargo ships on routes linking the Sea of Japan, the Tsushima Strait and the Nansei Islands--comprised of the Satsunan islands and the Ryukyu islands, in the Tsushima Strait and the waters northwest off Okinawa.
In the airspace above the waters surrounding Japan, the MSDF will deploy P-3C surveillance aircraft while the Air Self-Defense Force will deploy AWACS surveillance planes and E-2C early warning aircraft to monitor for any North Korean fighter planes.
If a suspicious ship is spotted, the SDF will monitor and pursue it while alerting U.S. Navy vessels making surveillance runs in the open sea and along the east and west coasts of North Korea.
The Tsushima Strait, which connects the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea, is a key route for ships and is always crowded with maritime traffic.
The strait is divided into the East Channel, which flows between Iki and Tsushima islands, Nagasaki Prefecture, and the West Channel, which flows between Tsushima Island and the Korean Peninsula. Fifty percent to 70 percent of maritime traffic passes through the East Channel, with the rest going through the West Channel, according to the MSDF.
Japan plans to patrol and monitor the traffic in the East Channel.
In addition to these patrolling duties, the government is studying the possibility of conducting logistic support to U.S. warships, including fueling operations.
(Oct. 22, 2006)
Ping!
Anti DPRK Coalition BUMP!
Yup, pretty interesting alright. I posted this article as a follow on in an earlier thread.
Kim won't be happy with that much air and sea traffic off the coast, a confrontation would almost seem to be inevitable.
In the first national elections in Japan (special local Diet [congressional] races) since the inauguration of Prime Minister Abe a few weeks ago to take over from Koizumi, both seats, in Osaka and Kanagawa, have gone to the CONSERVATIVE Liberal Democratic Party.
Japan continues its rightward shift (in view of Newton's Law of reaction for each action...Japan getting tough as DPRK causes trouble). They should have seen this coming. The Japanese people are not going to take Chia Head's crap, bullying and threats any longer it seems.
Morning BUMP! BTTT.
TIGERBUMP
Do you remember that other graphic from a Japanese news station, it showed something similar with a US carrier group and Japanese units in the East Sea & two more US carrier groups in the Yellow Sea?
Yes, I had posted it. I can put it up if you want ( probably)
http://ca.c.yimg.jp/news/1161173615/img.news.yahoo.co.jp/images/20061018/jnn/20061018-00000058-jnn-pol-thumb-000.jpg
Yes, I think that they just drew it up as a way to show what might unfold. I think they do not have any information that such a deployment is really in the works now.
BTTT!!
AIT BUMP! :-)
Morning/Evening Bump!
So lets see. A NK ship is stopped and boarded for inspection on the high seas.
The entire crew asks for asylum. What to do?
Interestinger and interestinger.
Yeah it looks like its gone alright...
Probably just expired, I doubt if it was removed for security reasons.
Those Japanese TV links to images or videos usually last one day or so.
I assume they are not just stopping North Korean-owned vessels.
Rack itttt
OH JETTTTTT
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