Kishida Admits Difficulty of Predicting Attack against Japan

Tokyo, March 1 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida admitted Wednesday that it is difficult to detect signs of an attack against Japan, in regard of the country's possible use of counterattack capability.

"In reality, it's difficult to detect an opponent's first-strike missile launch in advance and to stop the attack," Kishida told a meeting of the Budget Committee of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament.

The Japanese government takes the position that the counterattack capability could be used even before a missile is launched by an enemy, as long as the start of an attack is recognized.

Kishida's latest remark indicated that it would be rare for Japan to exercise the counterattack capability preemptively.

Asked whether the counterattack capability covers an attack by Japanese Self-Defense Force fighter jets, Kishida merely said, "We must consider whether it meets the (three new) conditions (for the use of force)."

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]