`Japan to send troops in case of war`

Shizuka Kamei of the Policy Research Committee of the Japanese ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) said that Japan should dispatch troops to Korea or anywhere else where U.S. forces are attacked unilaterally, in accordance with the U.S.-Japan military alliance.

Kamei, who is running for the LDP`s presidency in an election to be held Apr. 24, made the remark in an interview with the daily vernacular newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun.

The Japanese politician`s statement means that if and when U.S. forces in Korea are attacked, Japan would send troops to Korea by exercising self-defense rights and participate in the collective military action under the U.S.-Japan mutual defense treaty.

His statement drew attention, as this suggested easing of the restrictions to the Japanese self-defense forces` mobilization for collective security with the United States.

ksshim@donga.com