| Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says Japan | | | | whether Japan - the only nation ever to suffer a |
| will pursue a more assertive foreign policy, and will | | | | nuclear attack - should build its own nuclear |
| tighten its cooperation with Washington on a wide | | | | arsenal. |
| range of security and military issues. VOA's Kurt | | | | That is considered unlikely, but Steven Reed, a |
| Achin reports from Seoul on the regional | | | | political science expert at Tokyo's Chuo University, |
| implications of Japan's new direction. | | | | says North Korea's actions have made it easier |
| Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters | | | | for members of Mr. Abe's Liberal Democratic |
| Thursday that Japan's security situation had | | | | Party to discuss such previously taboo security |
| changed "drastically" in recent months. | | | | issues. |
| He said the main reasons for that change are the | | | | "There are people inside the LDP who now feel |
| "proliferation" of missiles and weapons of mass | | | | free to talk about this thing, in large part because |
| destruction, and a series of regional conflicts. | | | | it's not going to lose them votes any more. It |
| Mr. Abe says to protect Japan's peace, | | | | used to be a matter that would pretty much |
| independence, freedom and democracy, and to | | | | clearly lose them votes in a hurry," said Reed. |
| protect the lives of the Japanese people, it | | | | Japan's pacifist constitution was forced on it by |
| becomes ever more important that Tokyo | | | | the U.S. occupation following World War II. The |
| strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance. | | | | document allows only for a "self-defense force," |
| Mr. Abe also says he will try to make good this | | | | but the military's role has slowly been expanded. |
| year on a previous pledge to reform Japan's | | | | The Japanese military, for example, has troops in |
| pacifist constitution, which severely restricts the | | | | Iraq providing logistical support for the U.S.-led |
| Japanese military from any activities other than | | | | coalition. |
| homeland defense. | | | | Mr. Abe has previously said that he hoped to |
| The Japanese-U.S. alliance dates back to the Cold | | | | revise the constitution to allow the military more |
| War, and was originally aimed at defending against | | | | freedom once he took office. |
| the Soviet Union, but one of the more pressing | | | | Japan's Kyodo News Agency reported Thursday |
| concerns today is the potential threat from North | | | | that U.S. and Japanese defense officials are |
| Korea - a concern that was highlighted by | | | | planning to discuss broader military cooperation in |
| Pyongyang's provocative actions in 2006. | | | | the event of North Korean aggression against |
| Last July, North Korea tested a series of missiles, | | | | Japan, or of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. |
| including a long-range missile theoretically capable | | | | China, which considers Taiwan a breakaway |
| of reaching the United States. North Korea had | | | | province, has often threatened to retake the |
| already sent a missile on a test flight over Japan | | | | island by force. A Chinese Foreign Ministry |
| in 1998. | | | | spokesman responded to the Kyodo report |
| In October, Pyongyang conducted its first test of | | | | Thursday by saying Beijing hopes all nations will |
| a nuclear device. Japan responded with strong | | | | continue to adhere to the so-called "One China" |
| sanctions against the North, and some Japanese | | | | principle, which holds that China and Taiwan are |
| politicians have even called for a debate on | | | | one nation. |