Japan's New Defense Strategy

The NY Times reports on Japan's New Military Focus: China and North Korea Threats (free subscription required).

Update:

Japan adopted plans Friday to shift its military focus away from the cold-war threat of invasion from the Soviet Union to guarding against missiles from North Korea and Chinese incursions around its southernmost islands.

See my earlier post about the Chinese interest in Japanese territory.

Update #2: The Marmot Hole notes that the Japanese are, uh, vexed with the North Koreans.

With hardline voices growing louder in Japan in the aftermath of the “wrong remains” incident, we’re now witnessing a string of Japanese politicians openly calling for the overthrow of Kim Jong-il.

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