Japan studied attack on N.Korea - report

Reuters via Yahoo! News ^ | Thursday May 8, 2:47 PM | N/A

[TigerLikesRooster]

http://asia.news.yahoo.com/030508/3/xban.html

Thursday May 8, 14:47 PM

Japan studied attack on N.Korea - report

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Defence Ministry studied the feasibility of attacking a North Korean missile base after the North test-fired a Rodong ballistic missile in 1993, but decided that its forces were likely to suffer heavy casualties, a Japanese newspaper has reported.

Quoting unnamed sources on Thursday, the Tokyo Shimbun said a small group at the ministry studied the possibility of an attack by Japan's Self-Defence Force (SDF), despite Japan's pacifist constitution that has been interpreted to mean the nation's military must be restricted to self-defence.

The study considered the possibility of Japan staging an attack on a North Korean missile launch site using modified air-to-ship missiles or dropping bombs from its F-1 fighters and F-4EJ fighters, the Tokyo Shimbun said.

The study found that due to the short range of the fighters and a lack of radar-jamming planes there was a high possibility of losing fighters and pilots, the newspaper said.

For example, the range of F-1 fighters is so short that pilots would have had to eject from the planes above the Sea of Japan after carrying out the attack, the newspaper said.

There were even views that such an attempt would be similar to a suicide attack, the newspaper said.

The team concluded that such an attack was difficult, and the ministry has not conducted any specific studies on attacking enemy bases since, the Tokyo Shimbun said.

Concerns in Japan over the potential threat from heavily armed North Korea rose sharply after it launched a Taepodong ballistic missile in 1998 that flew over Japan.

Tensions in the region have been particularly high since last October, when the United States said North Korea admitted to a secret nuclear weapons programme.

More recently, the U.S. State Department has said that North Korea had told U.S. negotiators at talks in Beijing last month that it had nuclear weapons.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Now why is this news coming out now ? Yes. We all know why.:)

[American in Israel]

Yes indeed, and the million dollar question is:
Did Japan after the 1993 study obtain longer range fighter/bombers and radar jamming capablities?

[TigerLikesRooster]

RE #2

Most likely, yes. Probably they did more.

[section9]

Japan has had such capabilities for some time. It stretches credulity to believe that the IJAF could not outfit F-1's and Japan's F-4J's with refueling tanks.

Now I can understand why the aircraft would be gulping fuel. They'd be flying in at NOE, where wind resistance is super high. Still, if the same mission were entertained today, Japan's strike package would consist of F-15J's and a Wild Weasel/Jamming package. It would be done on the model of the Israeli operation against the Osirak reactor in 1981 using JDAM's to blow a hole in the reactor building while ALCM's went in through the hole and finished the job. All of this would be part of a larger package that included numerous American aircraft, as well. Indeed, the initial strike package would, in all probability, consist of Nighthawks supported by F-15J's (btw, is this plane called the "Super Zero" or not?) and the American F-15 Eagle platform. The attack, when it comes, will occur when all else has failed. It will be a joint American/Japanese operation. That's the subtext of this story. That's why it leaked the way it did.

The problem isn't the Chicoms or the Russians, or event the DPRK. The problem is reaction in the ROK itself.

A joint American-Japanese attack would bring back memories of Japan's foul 1910-1945 occupation of the Korean Homeland, and would probably lead to a rupture in the American/South Korean security arrangement. If the South Korean government has chosen the path of appeasement, this is a road we may have to travel.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[Riley]

The F1 isn't the only combat aircraft that the Japanese field. They have F-15s as well.

On a related note, does anybody know of a comprehensive resource on the Net for TO&E and relative defense strengths information? I'd like to look this kind of thing up once in a while, but $1500 for access to Jane's is more than I am going to spend.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #4

A DoD official (probably a undersecretary) is coming to S. Korea before president Roh's visit to meet G.W. Bush in America. This may be one of the things that will be discussed. A serious strategic ramification of current policy of S. Korean government, if it is further pursued. He is wholly a domestic creature like Bill Clinton, with little perspective on geopolitics. I hope that he is not fumbling again on this issue.

[American in Israel]

JASDF current inventory of Aircraft now includes:

F-15J/DJ combat aircraft 203 each.
The Eagle’s air superiority is achieved through a mixture of unprecedented maneuverability and acceleration, range, weapons and avionics.

E-2C Early warning/Electronic Warfare Support 13 each.
electronic warfare support measures provide a source of information required for immediate decisions involving ECM, ECCM, avoidance, targeting and other tactical employment of forces. Also called ESM.

The million dollar answer is Yes.

[American in Israel]

I googled it and got Japans Airforce site. It ain't Janes, but... its free!

[section9]

The F1 isn't the only combat aircraft that the Japanese field. They have F-15s as well.

Oh, but that was my entire point. They had F-15J's back in 1993! They didn't attack in 1993 because to do so, they would have had to act as part of a joint American/Japanese operation. No way would the Japanese consider doing this alone, even today.

Diplomatic isolation is one of the things that led Japan to move south in 1941, a catastrophic strategic error. Japan will not repeat that mistake, and will not act on its own until it rebuilds the old Imperial Japanese Navy to the extent that it includes big-deck aircraft carriers of the Nimitz class.

BTW, your question on TO&E is on point, especially as they might apply to IJN fleet strength (the IJN is now said to be the world's third most powerful navy, now that the Soviet fleet has fallen on hard times) and the IJAF airwing setup in the home islands. Would be nice to see who has deployed to those bases up in Hokkaido.

One of the keys to see if action is in the offing concerns American troop deployments. Two divisions to watch (other than the Indianhead division, stuck in Korea as we speak): the 25th Infantry Division ("Tropic Lightning") our of Schoefied Barracks in Hawaii and the Third Marine Division in Okinawa. If either one of those units moves towards Korea, or if an Iraq division (such as the Ivy Division) ends up moving east through the Indian Ocean, then you might want to consider investing in Mitsubishi Heavy Industries or some other Japanese armament concern.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[DeuceTraveler]

"Now why is this news coming out now ? Yes. We all know why.:)"

This together with articles on South Korean forces on high alert and more South Korean civilians looking for a way to exit the country. Interesting that this all begins to happen at once.

[wretchard]

Although Japan has second largest military budget in the world, it's acquisitions and doctrine have always been restricted by the need to limit the offensive capability of their forces. Consider the Japanese army. They consist of lots of immobile mini-divisions which have limited maneuver capability. It takes a lot of creativity to build a huge military force designed soley for defense.

All that may be changed by North Korea. As matters stand, the Japanese are content to leave the sword in American hands and wield the shield. But if the Nokors do something stupid, all the bets are off.

[Riley]

I was looking up JSDF info on the net with an FR composition window open while you were posting your #4- I hadn't yet read it when I posted. :-)

[AppyPappy]

I'm not sure the F-15's could carry bombs in 1993. That was introduced with the Strike Eagle in 1990 for us.

[John H K]

I've never seen anything indicating ANY of Japan's large number of F-15s have ever had any strike capability whatsoever.

First thing I'd buy if I were them would be about 48 F-15Ks.

[TigerLikesRooster]

I agree that N. Korea could upset the geopolitical status quo in E. Asia with some destructive implications.