MOSCOW. Oct 8 (Interfax-AVN) - Japanese Defense Agency director general Shigeru Ishiba believes that the problem of northern territories cannot be resolved without a comprehensive consideration of security issues.
"Military-political problems have not been in the center of attention in Japan. Therefore our MPs can greatly benefit from contacting experienced Russian lawmakers from the State Duma Defense Committee," Ishiba said in an interview with Nezavisimaya Gazeta published on Tuesday.
"Substantial changes have taken place" in the Japanese Defense Agency since terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, Ishiba said. "We have passed legislation allowing Japan to provide logistics support to national contingents of the nations that take part in anti-terrorist operations on the basis of a UN decision," he stressed.
Before passing the law, Japan could only provide such support to the U.S. Armed Forces and only in areas adjacent to Japan, namely north of the Philippines, on the Korean Peninsula and in the Taiwan area.
Ishiba spoke for creating a non-strategic anti-missile defense system together with the United States.
"I think Japan needs such a system. It should be established in intercept both intercontinental ballistic missile s and cruise missiles. Research into this issue is underway," Ishiba said.