By Kang Seung-woo
Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani recently said that his country is considering adopting Washington's Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system as a deterrent against North Korean threats, according to media reports, Thursday.
If the reports are true, this will increase pressure on South Korea, which has yet to respond to Washington's repeated calls for deployment of THAAD here, mindful of China's opposition. China is Korea's No. 1 trading partner.
Japan's Kyodo News reported that Nakatani, citing THAAD and other U.S. defense systems, said "We want to speed up our study of advanced activities and equipment of the United States."
This is the first time that a senior Japanese official has made positive comments about the deployment of THAAD, according to the newspaper.
Amid China's growing presence in Northeast Asia, the U.S. is attempting to militarily contain Beijing from increasing its hegemony in the region through a trilateral alliance. THAAD is one option for the U.S. to take, among others.
"The government's continuous refusal to deploy THAAD on the Korean Peninsula may adversely affect Korea's status in the three-way alliance," said Kim Yeoul-soo, an international relations professor at Sungshin Women's University.
"Although Japan has yet to decide on the issue of deployment, Nakatani's reference will draw a stark comparison with the Korean government's stance of the so-called three Nos."
The three Nos mean that there has been no request from the U.S., no negotiations with the U.S., and no decision made about THAAD.
"Once again, the U.S. government may think about the greater importance of its alliance with Japan in the Asia-Pacific region," Kim said.
Despite Korea's repeated rejection of THAAD deployment, the U.S. seems to still be seeking this goal.
U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti said Wednesday that the South and the U.S. need to develop a layered ballistic missile defense, stressing the importance of setting up both low- and high-altitude systems against Pyongyang's threats.
In response to the U.S. calls for the deployment of THAAD, the government has fended them off with the Korea Air and Missile Defense system, an independent, low-tier missile shield that the South believes is more appropriate against the North's threats.
"Because of the threats from North Korea, especially, ballistic missile threats, we have to continue to develop a layered interoperable ballistic missile defense here in South Korea," Scaparrotti said at a forum in Seoul.
"We both, the Republic of Korea and the U.S., are making progress in that regard but we have to do it with a sense of urgency."
Hong Hyun-ik, a senior researcher at Sejong Institute, said Korea will face growing pressure from the U.S. regarding the issue.
"The U.S. government will continue to urge the Park administration to approve deployment, as evidenced at the ROK-U.S. summit in October," he said.
During a press conference after the bilateral meeting, U.S. President Barack Obama said, "Our militaries are investing in shared capabilities, including the technologies and missile defenses that allow our forces to operate together effectively. We want to ensure that our Korean allies have the capabilities that are needed to take on greater responsibility for the defense of the peninsula."
Earlier this month, a researcher of the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA) said that discussions about THAAD deployment here could begin next year.
"The U.S., Japan and Korea may start talks about the issue in 2016 to address North Korean threats," said Kim Doo-seung, a KIDA researcher.
Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani recently said that his country is considering adopting Washington's Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system as a deterrent against North Korean threats, according to media reports, Thursday.
If the reports are true, this will increase pressure on South Korea, which has yet to respond to Washington's repeated calls for deployment of THAAD here, mindful of China's opposition. China is Korea's No. 1 trading partner.
Japan's Kyodo News reported that Nakatani, citing THAAD and other U.S. defense systems, said "We want to speed up our study of advanced activities and equipment of the United States."
This is the first time that a senior Japanese official has made positive comments about the deployment of THAAD, according to the newspaper.
Amid China's growing presence in Northeast Asia, the U.S. is attempting to militarily contain Beijing from increasing its hegemony in the region through a trilateral alliance. THAAD is one option for the U.S. to take, among others.
"The government's continuous refusal to deploy THAAD on the Korean Peninsula may adversely affect Korea's status in the three-way alliance," said Kim Yeoul-soo, an international relations professor at Sungshin Women's University.
"Although Japan has yet to decide on the issue of deployment, Nakatani's reference will draw a stark comparison with the Korean government's stance of the so-called three Nos."
The three Nos mean that there has been no request from the U.S., no negotiations with the U.S., and no decision made about THAAD.
"Once again, the U.S. government may think about the greater importance of its alliance with Japan in the Asia-Pacific region," Kim said.
Despite Korea's repeated rejection of THAAD deployment, the U.S. seems to still be seeking this goal.
U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti said Wednesday that the South and the U.S. need to develop a layered ballistic missile defense, stressing the importance of setting up both low- and high-altitude systems against Pyongyang's threats.
In response to the U.S. calls for the deployment of THAAD, the government has fended them off with the Korea Air and Missile Defense system, an independent, low-tier missile shield that the South believes is more appropriate against the North's threats.
"Because of the threats from North Korea, especially, ballistic missile threats, we have to continue to develop a layered interoperable ballistic missile defense here in South Korea," Scaparrotti said at a forum in Seoul.
"We both, the Republic of Korea and the U.S., are making progress in that regard but we have to do it with a sense of urgency."
Hong Hyun-ik, a senior researcher at Sejong Institute, said Korea will face growing pressure from the U.S. regarding the issue.
"The U.S. government will continue to urge the Park administration to approve deployment, as evidenced at the ROK-U.S. summit in October," he said.
During a press conference after the bilateral meeting, U.S. President Barack Obama said, "Our militaries are investing in shared capabilities, including the technologies and missile defenses that allow our forces to operate together effectively. We want to ensure that our Korean allies have the capabilities that are needed to take on greater responsibility for the defense of the peninsula."
Earlier this month, a researcher of the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA) said that discussions about THAAD deployment here could begin next year.
"The U.S., Japan and Korea may start talks about the issue in 2016 to address North Korean threats," said Kim Doo-seung, a KIDA researcher.
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