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Tokyo In Their Own Defense

Persuading Japan to take greater responsibility for the defense of the western Pacific has been a continuing aim of United States foreign policy. Japan has virtually no army, and its defense spending is limited to less than 1 per cent of its Gross National Product. The possibility of Japan’s providing protection for the vital sea lanes between the home islands and the Persian Gulf was raised during Prime Minister Zenko Suzuki’s visit to Washington last year, but he has since reaffirmed his intention not to exceed the 1 per cent limit. Now the subject has been brought up by one of his own cabinet ministers, Ichiro Nakagawa, director general of the Science and Technology Agency, who says the limitations must be reviewed. Another cabinet department, the Defense Agency, has drawn up a plan for protecting commercial shipping, especially oil tankers, in times of emergency, according to press reports. In the Defense Agency’s plan, the Japanese armed forces would be responsible for the areas northwest of Guam and north of the Philippines, and the U.S. Navy would take over beyond the range of present Japanese aircraft. Observers here emphasize that while these reports are little more than straws in the wind, nevertheless it looks as if the Japanese government is preparing a serious approach to the question.

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Tokyo In Their Own Defense

Persuading Japan to take greater responsibility for the defense of the western Pacific has been a continuing aim of United States foreign policy. Japan has virtually no army, and its defense spending is limited to less than 1 per cent of its Gross National Product. The possibility of Japan’s providing protection for the vital sea lanes between the home islands and the Persian Gulf was raised during Prime Minister Zenko Suzuki’s visit to Washington last year, but he has since reaffirmed his intention not to exceed the 1 per cent limit. Now the subject has been brought up by one of his own cabinet ministers, Ichiro Nakagawa, director general of the Science and Technology Agency, who says the limitations must be reviewed. Another cabinet department, the Defense Agency, has drawn up a plan for protecting commercial shipping, especially oil tankers, in times of emergency, according to press reports. In the Defense Agency’s plan, the Japanese armed forces would be responsible for the areas northwest of Guam and north of the Philippines, and the U.S. Navy would take over beyond the range of present Japanese aircraft. Observers here emphasize that while these reports are little more than straws in the wind, nevertheless it looks as if the Japanese government is preparing a serious approach to the question.