Not Good

From AP

Japan said Monday it was considering whether a pre-emptive strike on North Korea's missile bases would violate its constitution, signaling a hardening stance ahead of a possible Security Council vote. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told reporters his government wants a vote on the measure "as soon as possible."

"I think we must send a message that's as clear as possible" to North Korea, he said.

Japan was badly rattled by North Korea's missile tests and several government officials openly discussed whether the country ought to take steps to better defend itself, including setting up the legal framework to allow Tokyo to launch a pre-emptive strike against Northern missile sites.

This is unsettling news. Just not for the most obvious reason.

Captain Ed notes that North Korea may have awoken Japan's militaristic impulse and while Japan doesn't have the potential for an attack at this time against the missile sites, that it may instead engage Pyongyang in an arms race.

That isn't good. Almost all of Asia remembers Japan and what happened in WW2. If Japan re-arms, an arms race could spread across the continent. Military tensions combined with economic rivalry is a scenario for conflict. China has a large military right now, other than possible ambitions towards Soviet Siberia or Taiwan, the Chinese are unlikely to venture anywhere else in Asia. (Ed disagrees with me. He thinks China is trying to crowd out the US) Not even North Korea. Who's to say what they'll do if Japan re-arms.

South Korea has bad memories of Japan's occupation. Two nations already tense about a few rocks in the Sea of Japan could find themselves more tense.

Bush would be wise to tell Japan to tone down the military rhetoric. If military action is to be taken against North Korea, it has to be the US or ROK. Japan can't do anything for the immediate future except stir up old animosity and fears in the rest of the region.

Also blogging on this topic- Strange women lying in Ponds, James Joyner at OTB, Morning Coffee, Blogs of War, Plus GI in Korea who notes an article showing how reckless the North Korean launch was. It missed an Asiana flight by ten minutes.
Open Post- Right Wing Nation, Cao's Blog, Third World County,
Cross posted to Bullwinkle Blog,