SAPPORO: Japan will strongly defend its sovereign territories if threatened by any nation, said a top defence official.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, she said that Japan would exercise its rights to defend itself against any aggression to claim its occupied or uninhabited islands.
“If attacked, we are prepared to defend ourselves.
“We are capable of resisting any attempt which uses unlawful (military) force,” she told the New Straits Times, in view of increased patrols by foreign vessels in the East Asian and South China Seas.
The official, however, reiterated that Japan would remain a self-defence force and not conduct any offensive measures without provocation.
“We will continue to use all avenues, via diplomatic and peaceful means, to resolve territorial disputes.
“We hope other nations will exercise caution in an already volatile region in the Pacific and China Seas,” she said.
“We remain a strong ally of the United States, just like South Korea, and will cooperate with them to maintain peace and stability in the Pacific, particularly the East and South China Seas,” she said.
The official also called on North Korea to exercise restraint with its nuclear technology and inter-continental ballistic missiles.
The ICBMs. with a range of 10,000km, can reach the whole of Europe, Asia and eastern Africa.
It can hit Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Los Angeles and San Francisco (all three in the US), London, Paris, Moscow and New Delhi.
“All you need is an emotionally-charged and irrational decision that can spark a major war that will have devastating effects of obliterate nations and its people,” she warned.
The official added that there was certainly a price to pay to maintain peace and stability in the region and unnecessary conflicts would have no benefit on stake-holders.
“There will be little chance of economic recovery, as per the lessons learnt from the first two world wars.” she said.