A couple of things are worth noting here with respect to the Japanese reports of earlier today, now that I have read them more in full. They state that if the DPRK ICBM launch comes anywhere “near threatening Japanese territory”, or “towards Japanse territory”, then they will consider shooting it down in an act of self defense for Japan, which they are fully authorized to do now under Japan Defense Ministry rules of engagement guidelines which are in place and are Constitutional (under the coverage of “act of self defense”), i.e. they do not conflict with General MacArthur’s “Article 9”. Tokyo made such statements in April of 2009 when the North also launched a Taepodong 2 over Japan. They are particularly looking for any missile launched “at” or “toward” Japanese terittory. Any missile or part of same which came near Japan and was within striking distance either by the PAC-3 or the AEGIS destroyers, could theoretically be taken down. The discussions are starting internally, by the Ministry of Defense as well as the Foreign Ministry, in advance of this possible launch, and so that there are no surpises. Where and when to deploy such systems is not yet decided. Of course considering on the altitude and speech of an ascending missile, hitting it with commonly known Japanese arsenal would be difficult, I would imagine that even if successful, certainly US military and Japanese Self Defense would keep it hushed up, but Chinese naval forces in the Pacific Ocean operating in the area of Ryukyu Islands or elsewhere might pick up such an action and pass it to the North Koreans. North Korean direct intelligence in that region of the Pacific is extremely limited and so would be their grasp of the details of one of there missiles being met by MD system. It is obviously talk to put additional pressure on the North Koreans, but there was a similiar case two years ago, where Obama stated he would NOT instruct US military to shoot down such a missile, and from that point on, I feel the Japanese defense establishment knows they are on their own vs North Korea and that the long alliance with the US is very shaky under this Obama individual. Yes, many, many people in the know and in senior positions strongly hope for a defeat of Obama in November and complete reshuffling and cleaning out of the US DOD, State Department, intelligence and other agencies, with the curren office holders and policy makers in DC, probably not a few of them actual national security risks working behind closed, security cleared limited access areas.
I think it would be very interesting if the missile blew up on the launch pad.
Of all the countries in the world who I suspect would totally ignore Obama and anything he ‘demands’, Japan would top the list.
Even Israel will give him lip service before doing what they need to, but I think Japan would just tell him to pound salt if they said anything at all. And I cannot imagine, with their history and traditions, they consider him anything but pond scum.