THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
February 16, 2023 at 14:22 JST
An unmanned object flying over Sendai in 2020 (Provided by the Sendai Astronomical Observatory)
Japan plans to expand its readiness to deal with unidentified objects intruding into its airspace by increasing the conditions for using weapons to meet such threats.
Article 84 of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces Law justifies the use of necessary measures to protect people’s lives and property but doesn’t specify the conditions under which the use of weapons is allowed.
The government is now pressed to give a wider interpretation to the law to allow the use of arms beyond self-defense and emergency situations and respond to trespassing unmanned airborne craft, such as high-altitude balloons.
The Defense Ministry will discuss any necessary changes to the current policies, a ministry official said on Feb. 15.
The comment was made at a session held by lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party specialized in defense and security policies.
The members of the party’s National Defense Division and Research Commission on Security highlighted the lack of clarity in the government’s policy on responding to balloons and drones venturing into the country’s airspace.
On Feb. 13, the Cabinet said flying a balloon over Japan’s airspace without permission constitutes trespassing and that the country’s Self-Defense Forces will respond.
Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said the following day that SDF jets can use air-to-air missiles and other weapons against such objects.
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