Asia

Japan Deploys Missile Shield Around Tokyo, Plans Attack Drills Over Capital

Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Associated Press

TOKYO — Japan has deployed two missile defense detachments near Tokyo and plans major drills around its capital and its first sea-based interceptor test off Hawaii this month, underscoring its missile arms race with neighboring North Korea and China.

The moves cap a decade-long effort by Tokyo — with the strong backing of Washington — to erect the region's most advanced ballistic missile defenses.

Defense Ministry officials said Japan is installing its second "PAC-3" Patriot missile defense system at an air base just east of Tokyo. The first was set up west of Tokyo in March and nine more are to be readied around the country by March 2011.

The deployment comes as the Defense Ministry is planning to conduct anti-ballistic missile drills throughout the city, testing for communications obstacles or other problems in the surrounding areas.

The drills — the first of their kind — reportedly involve trucking missile launchers and troops from their bases on the outskirts of the city into several highly populated districts, including a shopping and entertainment area and a site near the Imperial Palace.

Japanese media have reported the drills will take place over the next month, but officials would confirm only that preparations are under way and the drills "should be held soon."

Read the full article here. Watcha think there rayboysan?

Navy Reveals a Third Snub by Chinese

Associated Press November 30, 2007

WASHINGTON - The Chinese rejection of U.S. ship visits into Hong Kong is broader than initially reported, the Pentagon said Friday, revealing for the first time that a third incident had occurred last week.

According to a defense official, a request for the USS Reuben James, a Navy frigate, to make a New Year's holiday stop in Hong Kong was formally denied by the Chinese last Thursday. The denial came the same day the Chinese turned away the USS Kitty Hawk and five ships accompanying it for a Thanksgiving port call.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the denial has not been publicly announced, said the Reuben James, based in Pearl Harbor, had made the port visit request in October. Full Article

The Pentagon Protests Chinese Decision Blocking U.S. Navy Ships Port Entry

Woo hoo! Go Pentagon! dm
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WASHINGTON — The Pentagon issued a formal protest to China on Wednesday over its refusal to permit U.S. Navy ships to enter the port of Hong Kong on two occasions last week.

"We are expressing officially our displeasure with the incident," Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters. He said a Chinese military officer who is Beijing's defense attache in Washington was called to the Pentagon to accept the protest from a Pentagon Asia policy official. Morrell called it an "a formal protest, an official protest, complaint," for refusing port entry for two U.S. Navy minesweepers and, later, for the USS Kitty Hawk and its accompanying battle group.

Also, the Chinese foreign minister met with President Bush on Wednesday and blamed the incident on "a misunderstanding." READ ARTICLE HERE.

Navy Chief Surprised at China's Refusal of Port Visit for U.S. Ships

"Hong Kong remains a very welcoming place for our sailors to be when they get there and it remains one of the world's great cities where sailors for centuries have gone, and it's still part of the draw of why young men and women choose to do what we do. It will remain a port of interest," he said.

Quote taken from Adm. Timothy Keating, commander of U.S. Pacific Command. Click here for full article.