By Yuki Tatsumi
Even with tension rising on the Korean Peninsula, the Japanese opposition is keeping an inward focus.
Tension has been on the rise on the Korean Peninsula this month. Two South Korean border patrol troops were severely injured by landmines laid by North Korea earlier this month. South Korea responded by resuming propaganda broadcasts toward the North, and restricting travel to the Kaesong industrial complex.
The inter-Korean tensions rose to another level when the U.S.-South Korea joint military exercise began. On August 20, the two Koreas exchanged artillery fire. And on August 21, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un mobilized his frontline troops to a wartime footing. The last time he resorted to similar acts of provocation was in 2013, when he declared a “state of war” against South Korea.
Although there is a sense that Kim’s provocations are within the realm of predictable responses to the U.S.-South Korea joint military exercise, countries that have a stake in the stability of the Korean Peninsula continue to monitor the situation very carefully. Japan is no exception, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe canceling his plan for a brief vacation and stay in Tokyo. In short, this situation is a reminder that North Korea continues to present a clear and present security concern for Japan, making it imperative that Japan’s Self-Defense Forces have a modernized, legal authorization to respond to the evolving crisis in a timely manner and cooperate effectively with U.S. forces to ensure the stability of the region.
Read the full story at The Diplomat