Japan's Komeito Party: "If the US Requests During a Korean Peninsula Contingency, 'Counterattack' Is Possible"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] Japan's ruling coalition partner, the Komeito Party, has indicated that it may exercise "counterattack capabilities" if requested by the United States in the event of an emergency on the Korean Peninsula.

According to Kyodo News and Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Masakazu Hamachi (浜地雅一), a member of the Komeito Party in the House of Representatives, made this statement to reporters in the National Diet after agreeing on the possession of counterattack capabilities during a working-level meeting with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on the 2nd.

Hamachi, who serves as the secretary-general for the Komeito side in the LDP-Komeito working group on strengthening defense capabilities, explained that the counterattack capabilities, which can strike enemy missile launch bases, could also be activated in the event of an emergency on the Korean Peninsula.

He said, "If there are signs that (North Korea) might launch missiles at Japan during an emergency on the Korean Peninsula, and a U.S. military vessel is hit, wouldn't that constitute a 'crisis threatening Japan's survival'?"

Hamachi expressed the view that exercising the right of collective self-defense requires a request from the allied United States. He stated, "The international rule is that it cannot be exercised without a request."

Following the agreement between the LDP and Komeito on possessing counterattack capabilities, the Japanese government is expected to decide on revising the three major security documents, which include the possession of counterattack capabilities, at a Cabinet meeting later this month. If decided, the government is reported to actively pursue the acquisition of long-range strike weapons such as ballistic and cruise missiles.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.