Preparing for Threats form the Peninsula

Adding to concerns of Chinese aggression in the East China Sea and Russian fighter’s invasion of Japanese territory around northern Hokkaido islands, the government of Japan holds headache on the issue of Korean Peninsula. The leader of North Korea announced his intention of nuclear test. Turning all neighbors to enemy, the leaders of Japan more and more rely on a friend on the opposite side of the Pacific.

While Japan is struggling in the quagmire of argument on nuclear energy after the accident of the First Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, North Korea is steadily preparing nuclear test for the third time. This time the test may have certain significance. According to the statement of a official of South Korean military, it was possible for North Korea to operate two kinds of experiment; one is plutonium type as same as former two tests, and another is highly enriched uranium. A physicist in Los Alamos indicated that North Korea might have another test of explosion of hydrogen bomb, which would produce nuclear fusion, taking advantage of other plutonium and uranium experiments.

The government of Japan is watching what is going on around nuclear test sites in North Korea, using information provided from satellite of United States. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fumio Kishida, consulted with US Secretary of State, John Kerry, and reconfirmed that North Korea needs to understand the consequence of unilateral intimidation of nuclear test. Japanese government also prepares unilateral sanction against North’s nuclear tests, that includes expanding the list of rejected persons of reentry. It is also planning to collect radioactive materials in the air with the aircraft of Air Self-defense Force.

There is no sign from North Korea of rethinking of the tests. Japanese government assumes that the most likely date of the test is next Monday, just because last two nuclear tests were on Monday. The fact shows crucial lack of information. The additional sanction by the United Nations would be less effective unless China’s serious cooperation can expect.

Henry Kissinger once warned Chinese leader that increasing nuclear weapons in East Asia might cause Japan’s nuclear possession. Current hawkish administration in Japan welcomes discussions not only about Japan’s militarization, but nuclearization. Who can say that there would never be an argument in Japan to have necessary nuclear weapons and technology to protect itself from obvious threat from the peninsula, while peaceful nuclear power has to be shut down because it is too dangerous for the nations.