Could Japan attack.

I would like to look at the aspect of a Japanese attack on north Korea. I think this would be a perfect way out for the U.S and south Korea. I think a Japanese attack on the north would limit what the north could or maybe would do to the Seoul Area. Now the real question is could Japan realistcly launch a successful operation against the Norths weapons program with little American help.....fire away...cheers ute.

In my opinion the Japanese are quite capable of this, they have probably on of the most advanced navies in the world, and they if they do, they are fighting an enemy that is technologically less advanced then themselves, i do think they lack man power, last i checked Japan's armed forces are quite small, and well N.Korea has like a million people in their armed forces or something so it might be quite difficult after they have landed.

If there will be an attack, it will not be an invasion. The North koreans would then bombard South Korean civillians and South Korea will oppose it. A likely scenario is a surgical airstrike, probably similar to the Osirak raid or operation El Dorado canyon, since it is likely they will try to strike at regime targets as well as military sites.

Japan does not posess any ballistic or cruise missiles capable of reaching
the North - they are forbidden by its constitution, which only permits force for self-defence purposes. It does posess strike aircraft, but they are not equipped for desert-strom style attacks. Striking deep into the North would be a suicide mission - Japan will not be able to strike North Korean missile sites the way Israel struck at the Iraqi Osirak reactor in '81. It's air force is simply not equipped for it. And if it did, then the rest of the region, particulary China and South Korea, would be pissed off, judging from this article.



So I think any pre-emptive strike on the DPRK would be carried out by America - and nobody wants that, including George W. Bush.

But when you consider the North Korean side, its worth examining their air defence system. Due to security restrictions, little is known about it, but if you go on Google Earth and look at strategic sites like Yongbyon, then you will see heavy concentrations of SAMs and AAA. I would expect this to be the case with the missile sites as well. But most of these weapons are outdated, and given the fuel and ammunition shortages in that country, I doubt that they are of good quality. I would guessthe North Korean radar and tracking system is a 60's to 70's Cold-war era system. So I would guess that their air defences are prbably the same standard of Iraqi defences during the Gulf War, probably the 2003 Iraq war. Deadly, but not strong enough to hold off an airstrike.

japan doesn't have shit to use against north korea. also south korea and japan will likely be at the recieving end of 100s of missiles, inaccurate they might be can still cause too much hurt to justify making the 1st move.

also, japan cannot attack anyone outside it's boundary without breaking their pacifist law. you can except to see south korea to fallout with japan later too; their no longer allies after japan make claims to islands owned by korea and if japan break the pacifist code, korea might feel threaten and see it as an act to try and dominate korea again.

I think in the event of Japan launching an attack on North Korea the people
of South Korea, China and the rest of east and south east asia would go
ballistic.

It would be strategically speaking a blunder of the first magnitude for little
military gain.

I can see that definitely leading to an arms race in the region

FreeAsia2000 said:

I think in the event of Japan launching an attack on North Korea the people
of South Korea, China and the rest of east and south east asia would go
ballistic.

It would be strategically speaking a blunder of the first magnitude for little
military gain.

I can see that definitely leading to an arms race in the region

Click to expand...

I'm not sure about an Asian arms race over such an event..

BUT if Japan attacked N'Korea over this situation they would face condemnation from many Asian nation. In parcticulary S.Korea. The memerois of Japanese "behavior" runs deep in the history of that reigon.

bd popeye said:

I'm not sure about an Asian arms race over such an event..

BUT if Japan attacked N'Korea over this situation they would face commendation from many Asian nation. In parcticulary S.Korea. The memerois of Japanese "behavior" runs deep in the history of that reigon.

Click to expand...

I assume you mean condemnation not commendation ?

That was exactly my point, I was watching a movie a few weeks ago
called Fighter in the Wind which cast light on their prior history.

:coffee:
Japan is economically superior than North Korea but the North Korean leadership is more fanatical. Any nation that live a good life would not dare to take on a daredevil like character, thus North Korea is morally superior.

I believe the recent North Korean movement have to do with the Japanese friction with the South Koreans. Keep in mind South Korean claim and Japanese claim on the islands caused many uneasiness in the region. The North Koreans are merely adding a few more pressure on Japan's attitude.

See Site:

japan is not fool enough to attack n. korea.they will go with diplomacy except the us want to attack n. korea.
they have no tomahawk,no slbm n also lack of precision air strike capability.
they dont want to face nodong n taepodongs' attack.

Japan attacking North Korea? Wouldn't Japan have to wage a larger bombing campaign than just the ICBM facility because NK has plenty of other shorter range missiles that can reach Japan? Japan will not be doing a simple one-time strike. They will have started a war. North Korea isn't going to sit idly by. Japan will find itself watching missiles falling from the skies into its cities despite any missile defense.

Do you actually think the US won't be involved? Japan won't act without US permission and support. This will be a bigger blunder than Iraq. I see so many miscalculations coming just like with Iraq.