U.S. Dispatches More Fighters to Japan

The United States plans to augment its forces stationing in Japan with, for example, more warplanes, reported Tokyo Shimbun yesterday citing senior Japanese government officials. America is making the preparation as part of a contingency plan for any outbreak of an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula triggered by North Korea`s development of nuclear weapons.

Under the plan, the paper reported, additional F-15s and U-2 spy planes are to be deployed. The Japanese government reportedly welcomed the proposal. Japan has been worrying about the possible weakness in military readiness once the United States begins to engage in the war on Iraq.

Previously, an aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk was anchoring at the Yokosuka naval base in Japan. Now, it is moving to the Gulf area. To make up for the loss in readiness, the United States is considering dispatching of its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, which stations in Hawaii, to Japan, Tokyo Shimbun also reported.

The United States explained this plan in a meeting of military officials, which took place on February 10th in Washington, D.C. The Bush administration also reportedly told Japanese officials that it would beef up its military presence in Japan depending on the development of the nuclear standoff on the Korean Peninsula.

In the meanwhile, the two countries intend to jointly conduct ballistic missile interception tests from next year in Hawaii, reported Nihon Keizai. The tests, which are to continue for two years, will lay the ground works for the Bush administration`s missile defense system.

The newspaper believes the intended resumption of tests is conceived to cope with the rapidly escalating tension over the Korean Peninsula. North Korea has recently hinted that it could resume its missile tests. For the US-Japan military exercise, Aegis, a Japanese warship, and US jet fighters will be mobilized.

Upon North Korea`s test of its Taepo Dong missile in August of 1998, the United States and Japan have teamed up together in designing a missile defense system since 1999. They will run the tests until 2005, and decide on whether to "produce" the system and to deploy it.

parkwj@donga.com