Bush, Koizumi Agree to Speed U.S. Force Structure Review

(Source: US State Department; issued Sept. 22, 2004)

President Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi have agreed to accelerate talks on the structure of U.S. military forces in Japan, according to a senior U.S. government official.

The two leaders met September 21 on the sidelines of the 59th session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

The official, who briefed reporters after the meeting, said: "The U.S. and Japan have been exchanging ideas on how to modernize our alliance and our presence. The prime minister agreed that we need to accelerate these talks, both at the strategic level, but also among experts on the two sides."

Both sides hope to strengthen the deterrence capability and effectiveness of the U.S. military presence while addressing concerns and sensitivities of Japanese communities, the official told reporters. Koizumi, the official said, raised the issue following the crash of a U.S. Marine CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopter in Okinawa in August.

"[T]he president understands the sensitivities and sees this global posture review in our talks with Japan as a way to begin making progress on that," the official said.

Bush and Koizumi did not commit to a timeline for specific action, according to the official, who characterized the discussion as "forward-leaning." He said the two leaders would ask experts in their respective governments to "start hammering out different ideas" for proposals.

"That may be providing some consolidation of bases, it could be a change in numbers, but that's not yet determined," the official said. The United States has 47,000 troops in Japan.

During the 35-minute meeting, President Bush and Prime Minister Koizumi covered a wide range of other topics. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to democratization and rebuilding in Iraq and Afghanistan, the senior official said. They also briefly discussed the North Korean nuclear weapons program, agreeing to continue pressing for eliminating nuclear programs from the Korean peninsula through the regional forum known as the Six-Party Talks, whose participants include the United States, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea and North Korea.

Australia Orders More AMRAAM Missiles

(Source: US Department of Defense; issued Sept. 24, 2004)


Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $9,958,168 firm fixed price contract modification. This action will exercise an option of 11 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) Air Intercept Missile (AIM)-120 5 (FMS) missiles, 6 AMRAAM Air Vehicles Instrumented (AAVIs), 10 non- development item-airborne instrumentation unit field kits, 6 non-developmental item airborne instrumentation unit original equipment manufacture kits, and 1 lot software configuration management.

This effort supports foreign military sales to Austrialia.

Total funds have been obligated. This work will be complete by August 2005.

India, US Joint Naval Exercises from Oct 4

(Source: Press Trust of India; issued Sept. 29, 2004)

NEW DELHI --- Indian Navy, which has been trying to acquire nuclear powered submarines, will have an opportunity to test its capabilities when its warships exercise jointly with the US Navy off the Goa coast from October 4.

In the sixth series of Malabar exercises, the frontline Indian anti-submarine warfare ships will match their skills with the US Pacific fleets Los Angeles class nuclear submarine as well as Ticonderoga missile cruiser and Oliver Hazard Perry class guided-missile frigate.

For the first time, the US Navy will include long-range maritime and submarine hunter aircraft P3C Orions in the exercises. New Delhi and Washington are in an advanced stage of negotiations on the Navy acquiring ten of these aircraft on Government-to-Government sales to augment its depleted maritime capabilites.

For the week-long exercises with its accent on anti-submarine warfare, the Indian Navy is fielding one Delhi class guided missile destroyer, one Brahmputra class guided missile frigate, German acquired HDW Shishukar Class Submarine and Sea-Harrier jump jet fighters operating from Goa land bases.

Besides the anti-submarine warfare, the two navies would also undertake maneuvers on sea-control missions, fleet air defence, surface firings and maritime interdiction operations.

quote:

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For the week-long exercises with its accent on anti-submarine warfare, the Indian Navy is fielding one Delhi class guided missile destroyer, one Brahmputra class guided missile frigate, German acquired HDW Shishukar Class Submarine and Sea-Harrier jump jet fighters operating from Goa land bases

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would have　been more interesting if USN can train with indias kilos ... .

Japanese Panel Advocates Change in Defense Strategy

(Source: Voice of America news; issued Oct. 4, 2004)

TOKYO --- A government advisory panel is recommending sweeping changes to Japan's defense structure. This come as news reports say Japan will ask the United States to move some of its troops out of the country.

A panel of academics, business leaders, and former government officials is calling for Japan to consider acquiring the ability to launch pre-emptive military strikes. That would move the country away from its purely defensive security policy.

Analysts say the recommendations from the panel will strongly influence the government's official defense review, expected to be issued in December. It will be only the third such review since Japan's defeat in World War II.

The advisory panel to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Monday also urged the government to discuss expanding an overseas policing role for the Self Defense Forces. And it recommends relaxing the ban on weapons exports to the United States and other countries, as well as on acquiring advanced spy satellites.

By far the most controversial proposal recommends that Japan obtain a first-strike capability, allowing it to hit enemy missile bases to prevent an attack. That recommendation, if adopted, would be certain to anger Asian neighbors, especially China and North Korea.

The panel, however, came out against Japan having nuclear weapons, saying it must not pose a threat to neighboring countries.

The recommendations come as Japan and the United States continue discussions on plans to scale back the U.S. military presence in the country.

Japan's largest circulation newspaper, the Yomiuri, on Monday reported Tokyo will ask Washington to move some Marines now on the southern island of Okinawa outside the country.

Regional security expert Sheila Smith at the East-West Center in Hawaii says there is no doubt some changes will be made to the Okinawa forces. "The U.S. Marines are a tremendous burden in Okinawa, particularly the infantry and the training needs of the infantry in Okinawa can't really be met on the island, given the sensitivities there," said Ms. Smith.

Okinawa accounts for less than one percent of Japan's land, but hosts about two-thirds of the 40,000 American forces in the country.

In recent years, Okinawans have grown increasingly angry about the military presence, because of land disputes and highly publicized violent crimes committed by a few U.S. troops.

The Yomiuri report says in return for moving troops outside the country, Japan would provide pre-positioning facilities for weapons, fuel and other equipment for the U.S. military.

Indian PM Sets Defense Agenda

(Source: Indian Ministry of Defence; issued Oct. 5, 2004)

The Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has asked for a draft core plan from the Ministry of Defence to make up for the delay in the finalization of the Tenth Five Year Plan and to maintain the tempo of modernization, upgradation and procurement program of the armed forces. The draft plan will include a non - core portion also.

According to the Defence Ministry spokesman, the Prime Minister has desired that as regards the procurement of defense hardware, the decision-making should be expedited. The Defence Minister has already ordered review of the existing procurement policy at the Secretary level, after which it will be reviewed by the Defence Minister himself.

This direction was given in a top level review meeting on defense matters held in New Delhi today. The meeting was chaired by the Prime Minister. The Defence Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee, Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff Committee Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy, Chief of the Army Staff Gen NC Vij, Vice Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Yashwant Prasad, Defence Secretary Shri Ajai Vikram Singh, National Security Advisor Shri JN Dixit and Special Advisor to Prime Minister Shri MK Narayanan were present in the meeting.

In the context of the defense preparedness, the entire gamut of security related issues were discussed during the meeting.

India, Israel to hold joint air exercise in ’05


NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 13: The defence relationship between New Delhi and Tel Aviv has deepened further with India and Israel agreeing in principle to hold joint air exercises involving US-made F-16s and Russian-built Su-30 MKI fighters.

While the modalities of the first ever Indian Air Force and Israeli Air Force exercise will be decided by the executive steering group under the bilateral Defence Cooperation Group, Air Chief S. Krishnaswamy discussed the issue with his Israeli counterpart during his visit to Tel Aviv last week.


The IAF chief interacted with Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz and Israel’s military top brass during his week-long trip. He also also flew a one-hour sortie on a twin-seater F-16 I fighter piloted by Major Jonathan from Ramon air base, south of Tel Aviv last Wednesday.

Sources said both sides were keen on pushing interaction between the two air forces and were all for exchanging operational tactics with each other. The joint exercise will be slated for 2005 after IAF Sukhoi-30 MKIs have done their tour of France.

Though Israel is smaller than Kerala in geographical area, its air force is one-and-a-half times more potent than the Indian Air Force. While IAF has a force level of 36.5 fighter squadrons, the Israelis have more than 30 fighter squadrons including 349 F-16s, 79 F-15s and 140 Kfir fighters.

Apart from undertaking joint exercises, New Delhi is also looking at Tel Aviv for help and hardware for its indigenous AWACS project. The AWACS project with the initial sanction of Rs 1,800 crore was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) last week. A Defence Ministry official said critical equipment on board the indigenous AWACS will be an ‘‘off-shoot of the India-Israel PHALCON AWACS’’ deal. Israeli defence contractors will be involved in helping the Indian project in critical areas.

http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=55061

quote:

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Originally posted by Sgt_Schlappy:
_India to join exercise Cope Thunder_

_Flight International
22-June-04_

Indian air force fighters will take part in the multinational Cope Thunder 2004 air exercise from the USAir Force's Elemendorf AFB in Alaska for the first time later this year.

The service will send four Sepecat Jaguars, plus Ilyushin Il-78 in-flight refuelling aircraft and two Il-76 transports to the USA for the manoeuvres, which will build on an air combat exercise conducted in India earlier this year. BAE Systems personnel recently visited India to inspect the Jaguars and approve their suitability to take part in the exercise. Two Indian air force Il-76 transports took part in the manouevres last year.

The Indian air force says its aircraft will stop over in Qatar, Egypt, Portugal and Canada on their way to the USA.

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btw pictures from US-India joint exercise 2004:

http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Images/Special/CopeIndia/iafindex.html

http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Images/Special/CopeIndia/index.html

Insights into the world / Japan must keep U.S. military ties

Hisahiko Okazaki Special to The Yomiuri Shimbun

Strategic dialogues have been taking place between Japan and the United States for some time now over Washington's plans to realign U.S. armed forces in Japan, part of the ongoing reforms of U.S. troop placements abroad. But they have reportedly made little progress--a situation that causes little surprise to me.

As in the past, whenever I hear about bilateral strategic talks, I cannot help but feel it strange because Japan has no real security strategy. What we see, instead, is a position the government has created over the years by compounding one parliamentary reply upon another in response to lawmakers' questions.

If the government stated, for example, that the Japanese-U.S. alliance had much to contribute to global security, it would be a commendable declaration of the country's national security strategy. However, it would typically be criticized by the opposition in the Diet and subsequently the government would say it meant that if Japan ensured its security thanks to the alliance with the United States, such a situation would then contribute to global security. It would be forced to give a further pledge that Japan would by all means stick to a policy of exclusively defending itself--and would not involve itself in activities ensuring global security.

Such policy statements in the Diet appear to be prepared by lazy, precedent-dominated bureaucrats. But they perhaps denote something more strategically deep-rooted in the background. While the Japanese government characteristically lacked its own strategy, the communist bloc during the Cold War had a steadfast Marxist-Leninist strategy. It aimed at restricting the role of Japan and that of U.S. Forces Japan in the global theater, and the leftist camp in Japan was instrumental in making such a policy pervasive in the Diet.

The Japan Socialist Party's clout eventually vanished. Today, the existing leftist parties--the Social Democratic Party and the Japanese Communist Party--are supported only by a few percent of the population.

Yet, the evolution of Japan's security strategy continues to be habitually restricted by the government's past answers to parliamentary questions, which a great majority of the Japanese no longer pay attention to. Now is the time to ponder Japan's grand strategy for national security without being bothered by the past parliamentary accounts.

The grand or far-reaching strategy for Japan is, needless to say, to maintain the security of the Japanese people and promote the prosperity of the nation. The notion of security also embraces the independence and freedom of the nation. Independence of this kind has nothing to do with what some people envisage when they resort to, often only verbal, anti-American gestures, believing such behavior will lead to Japan's "independence" from the United States.

If Japan had been invaded by the Soviet Union during the Cold War era, it would have lost both the freedom of its people and its independence as a nation. Likewise, if Japan yields to a military threat from North Korea today, we will be trapped in an emergency. Yes, the very independence of Japan as a nation matters. Prosperity means the sustainable existence of our nation--it means something more important than the prevailing state of the economy or some friction in trade talks.

Since 1868, when Japan broke from centuries of seclusion, one premise has been in place regarding the country's relations with the rest of the world. Relying on natural resources from other countries and maintaining overseas markets to earn hard currencies to import resources, this maritime nation has had to cooperate with the Anglo-Americans dominating the seven seas of the earth. Japan had been safe and free and prospered for more than 20 years following the signing of a military alliance with Britain in 1902. Since World War II, the country has been in a similarly favorable position thanks to its alliance with the United States.

Considering the above-mentioned postulate is certain to be relevant in the foreseeable future, the grand strategy of Japan is to maintain the Japanese-U.S. alliance. If we can work out such a strategy, our security and prosperity will remain guaranteed into our children's generation and that of our children's children.

*Click the link at top to read the rest of the article.

Indian, US Navies ‘Exchange’ Sailors

(Source: US Navy; issued Oct. 14, 2004)

INDIAN OCEAN --- Sailors from both the U.S. and Indian navies got a taste of what life is like aboard each other’s ships during Exercise Malabar 04, Oct. 1-9, in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Goa, India.

Selected sailors exchanged places with each other, allowing them to learn more about life in another navy.

“They have a very career-oriented navy,” said Lt. j.g. Sam Barris from USS Cowpens (CG 63), who spent three days aboard the Indian navy destroyer INS Mysore. “Whereas we have Sailors that may only come in for four years and then get out, they have a navy where you’re expected to stay in for a career. They are very devoted to that duty for that reason. They are very focused.”

The Indian sailors had to adjust to a new timetable - one that has to do with the cultural differences between how the U.S. and Indian navies conduct their workday.

“Normally we have breakfast until [7:30], then we go back to berthing and clean up, and our work day does not start until [9 a.m.],” he said. “We then take lunch at [12:30] and have time to go back to berthing to relax until [4 p.m.],” said Jose Mathew, senior petty officer in the sonar department aboard INS Betwa.

“The Indian Sailors are much more casual on the ship, and I think that is more due to their culture and they are not a forward-deployed ship,” said Ensign Jamarr Johnson, electronics warfare officer aboard USS Gary (FFG 51), who spent three days on INS Bramaputhra. “I am not a coffee drinker, but I drank a lot of cups of coffee on Bramaputhra. Coffee breaks are a way of life for them. But I have to admit, I liked the afternoon break.”

“They are professional, they are very devoted and they are very relaxed,” Barris said. “On the first day out, each department fielded a volleyball team, and they played volleyball on the flight deck, with the XO [executive officer] and CO [commanding officer] officiating. They really amazed me.”

Working in the Command Information and Control (CIC) center aboard Gary, Viraat Tactical Department Leading Petty Officer Kesava Rao Hanumanthu said he saw similarities, as well as differences between the two navies.

“All the communication language and terminology is the same,” he said. “The major difference is that the U.S. Navy is using computer-based programs to operate, and we are using manuals. We get the same results, it just takes a bit more time and effort to get to it.”

“What I saw on Bramaputhra was a lot of senior officers who were experts at their job,” said Johnson. “But that was all they knew. That’s where I think our cross training in the U.S. Navy pays off. We are more flexible to do other jobs.”

In addition to the work technology, the leisure technology the U.S. Navy possesses impressed Indian sailors.

“When an Indian Navy ship is in port, we get television service, but when we are underway we do not have it,” said Mathew. “We were watching live sporting events and American television while we were at sea, as well as watching the latest movies. It’s great.”

“Internet capabilities are fantastic on the Navy ship,” said Hanumanthu. “We only use the computer in emergency situations due to how much it costs to run the Internet on our ship,” he said. “Being able to e-mail your family while you are under way lets them know you are safe, and that makes a big difference on the morale of the guys on the ship, as well as for their families.”

Barris said he thinks he’s made some new life-long friends.

“One of the officers saw me the other day [while I was in my white uniform],” he recalled, “and he said, ‘what are you doing in that uniform? You’re a Mysore sailor!’ That really meant a lot to me personally.”

Malabar was designed to increase interoperability between the two navies while enhancing the cooperative security relationship between India and the United States. The at-sea training included maritime interdiction, surface events, sub-surface and air events, as well as personnel exchanges.

Besides Gary and Cowpens, the U.S. Navy was represented by the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Alexandria (SSN 757), and P-3C maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft.

India, US Make Substantial Progress In Strategic Talks

(Source: Press Trust of India; issued Oct. 21, 2004)

NEW DELHI --- Marking a new dimension in their strategic relationship, India and the US today made “substantial progress” in implementation of Phase I of the ‘Next Steps in Strategic Partnership (NSSP)’ for facilitating high-technology trade and agreed to meet again shortly.

Visiting US Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca discussed various aspects of the NSSP with her Indian interlocutor S Jaishankar, Joint Secretary in the External Affairs Ministry. This is also the first meeting of the implementation group of Phase I of NSSP.

After wide-ranging discussions including on second Phase of NSSP launched by the two countries at the beginning of this year, External Affairs Ministry, in a brief statement here, said “substantial progress” has been made on the implementation of Phase I.

Rocca said the discussions involved setting up a framework on Phase II and make it as rapid as possible.

“We have moved to a phase in Indo-US relations where many barriers that separated us over the last many years have come down,” she said.

Rocca, who met Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia, said “we are talking about a very important policy shift which really moves this relationship on to strategic ground because we are talking about very sensitive things”.

India looks to expand relations with Taiwan
2004-10-27 / Central News Agency /

Chief economic advisers from two of the largest political parties in India have expressed the hope that Taiwan can pay more attention to the subcontinent and that there will be further exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.

Jairam Ramesh, a parliamentarian and chief economic adviser for the ruling Indian National Congress's Economic Committee, said that the economic reforms that started in India in the 1990s will remain unchanged despite the power transfer of political parties.

Ramesh was referring to the INC's success in elections earlier this year, in which the INC upset the Bharatiya Janata Party, which had called for an early election because it was confident of its own economic performance.

Jagdish Shettigar, chief economic adviser for the BJP, concurred, saying that it would be impossible for the INC to backtrack after it took the helm of the nation, saying, "India's basic policy, especially its economic policy, will only be adjusted in a minor way; there will be no dramatic changes."

The course of liberalization, reform and opening to foreign investment will continue, Shettigar said.

Ramesh added that privatization of state-owned enterprises will continue, although this will not all be open to foreign investment.

Currently, foreigners in India are not allow to invest in such sectors as the petroleum, natural gas, railway, national defense, space and public health sectors.

On relations between Taiwan and India, Ramesh said they are in good shape although there is still room for further development. Two-way trade between Taiwan and India amounted to US$1.2 billion last year.

He said that India can provide Taiwan more resources, adding that both sides can consider cooperation in the areas of software, information technology, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and semiconductors. In tourism, there is also room for further growth.

He pointed out that Taiwan has focused too much in China. It is too risky, he said, suggesting that Taiwan ought to diversify its investment.

He stressed that India is populous, and its population is expected to surpass that of China by 2030 or 2035.

It also has a great history, and is a democratic country as well as a pluralistic society with 18 languages. It has maintained economic growth of 6 percent over the past 20 years, and that growth is expected to be between 6.5 percent and 7.5 percent in the next few yeas.

He also said that India has 300 universities and 2 million graduates every year, adding that individuals talented in high-technology are India's advantage, although the number of such people needs to rise.

Believing that India has more potential than China in terms of investment, Ramesh said that both countries should further cooperate and engage in exchanges.

Taiwan should take a closer look at the Indian market, Ramesh said, adding that investment is never like instant coffee, and that the key is to have determination and perseverance, adding that South Korean enterprises such as Samsung group and Hyundai Motors have long-term plans and determination in their investments in India.

Ramesh expressed the hope that he would be able to visit Taiwan within six month to enhance bilateral understanding.

Shettigar also welcomed Taiwan businessmen to invest in his country, suggesting that they can buy local companies or bid for major construction projects. The food processing and technical sectors are also worth investing in, he added.

He also encouraged Taiwan businessmen to set up plants in Indian special economic zones, using them as springboards to make inroads into the Middle East, the European Union and Africa.

Shettigar said he is scheduled to travel to Taiwan to attend an international seminar next month to express his views on matters of mutual concern.

http://www.etaiwannews.com/Taiwan/2004/10/27/1098841464.htm

quote:

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He said that India can provide Taiwan more resources...

It also has a great history, and is a democratic country...

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BINGO!

Can't wait to hear how the Chicoms react to this!

Japan to Streamline Defense Forces to Fight Terrorism

(Source: Voice of America news; issued Nov. 7, 2004)

TOKYO --- Japan's prime minister Sunday has vowed to make the country's defense forces better able to fight terrorism and any attackers who would use weapons of mass destruction.

During a troop review ceremony Sunday, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Japan would fully review the existing structure and weapons of the Self Defense Forces to make them more efficient.

Mr. Koizumi says Japanese forces must be capable of dealing with new threats, such as terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Concern has mounted here in recent years about North Korean missile and nuclear capabilities. There are also escalating worries about terrorism amid reported threats against Japan by Islamic militants opposed to the U.S.-led war on terror.

The prime minister, speaking Sunday at the Asaka base of the Ground Self-Defense Forces outside Tokyo, gave the strongest hint yet Japan will extend its deployment of non-combat troops in Iraq beyond the scheduled end of tour December 14.

A recent newspaper poll shows more than 60 percent of those surveyed were against extending the one-year troop mission in Iraq.

Last week, Mr. Koizumi said he would not withdraw troops as demanded by militants who took a 24-year-old Japanese backpacker hostage. The group, believed allied with al Qaida terrorist network, later beheaded the captive.

For the first time on Sunday, an opposition party leader attended the annual military review - a possible indication the political bloc may be softening its staunch opposition to deploying Japanese forces overseas. The president of the Democratic Party, Katsuya Okada said he thinks it is important for the opposition to also show its appreciation for the Self-Defense Forces' work in disaster relief and protecting the nation during its 50 years of existence.

The opposition has criticized Mr. Koizumi for strongly supporting President Bush in the war in Iraq. When Mr. Koizumi sent units of the Ground Self-Defense Forces to southern Iraq in January to help in reconstruction efforts, he became the first leader here since World War II to send troops to a nation still experiencing armed conflict.

Thai Army Receives 2 Black Hawk Helos

(Source: Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.; web-posted Dec. 6, 2004)

STRATFORD, Conn. --- Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. delivered two S-70 Black Hawks to the Royal Thai Army at a ceremony here today.

His Excellency Mr. Kasit Piromya, Royal Thai Ambassador to the United States, accepted the aircraft logbooks as part of the ceremonial transfer of title.

With the delivery, the Royal Thai Army now has five S-70 Black Hawks. The aircraft were acquired through the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Sikorsky had previously delivered six S-70B SEAHAWKs for shipborne service and six S-76s for search-and-rescue to the Royal Thai Navy via FMS.

“Sikorsky Aircraft is grateful that Thailand and the Royal Thai Army have shown such trust in our products,” said Sikorsky President Stephen Finger. “We will continue to support Thailand and work to maintain that trust as Thailand modernizes its aviation capabilities.”

Worldwide, S-70 Black Hawk helicopter variants are serving, or are on order, with 25 governments -- Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Greece, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, People's Republic of China, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand and Turkey.

Japan, US Sign Missile Defense Pact

(Source: Voice of America news; issued Dec. 17, 2004)

TOKYO --- Japan and the United States have signed an agreement to encourage cooperation on developing a missile defense system.

Japanese Defense Minister Yoshinori Ono signed a memorandum of understanding Friday in Tokyo with U.S. Ambassador to Japan Howard Baker.

Under the agreement, Japan and the United States will exchange information on research, deployment and operations of a missile shield.

The agreement comes one week after Japan adopted new defense policy guidelines that would allow the joint development of a missile defense system with the United States.

The five-year defense outline allows the sale of missile defense components to the United States for production of a missile shield. Japan says other arms export cases will be considered on a case-by-case basis. (ends)

Excess defense can be something like threat.
If the world loses the balance, it would not avoid the stronger to oppress on the puniness by the morality or law.

There is a new MSDF destroyer design called 18DD coming in 2006 with an APAR.
You can see some proposels here:
http://www.ships-net.co.jp/detl/200501/090-091l.jpg

It seams there is also a new sub coming with an AIP, but it was removed from http://www.jda-trdi.go.jp/indexe.html

According to above mentioned ships-net the fifth Takanami Destroyer is launched now.

S. Korea Biggest Asian Importer of US Arms

(Source: Korea Times; issued Dec. 22, 2004)

SEOUL, South Korea --- South Korea purchased $3.7 billion of U.S. defense products and services in 2000-2003, becoming the biggest Asian purchaser of American arms, a U.S. Congressional report showed Wednesday.

During the calendar years 1996-1999, South Korea imported $2.5 billion in U.S. arms and services, according to the report by the Congressional Research Service. During the period, South Korea also topped other Asian nations, such as Taiwan, Japan and Singapore, the report said.

In the 2000-2003 period, South Korea was followed by Japan with $2.5 billion of U.S. arms imports, Singapore with $1.1 billion and Australia with $960 million, the report said.

In 2003 alone, South Korea procured $570 million of American military goods and services, ranking second behind Japan with $800 million, the report said.

In a worldwide comparison, South Korea ranked fourth in both the 1996-1999 and 2000-2003 periods, it said.

Egypt was the world's largest importer of U.S. weapons for the 1996-1999 period, spending $5.8 billion, the report said. In the 2000-2003 period, the United Arab Emirates spent $7.1 billion, the largest amount, purchasing U.S. military goods, it said.

Some MSDF PR Stuff

http://www.ch-sakura.jp/asx/kankanshiki.asx