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Tokyo: Japan has given warning of an increasing Russian military presence in north-east Asia, with additional exercises and incursions into Japanese territory in the last 12 months by naval and airborne forces.
Tokyo's annual white paper on defence underlined the instability in the region by adding a resurgent Russia to the traditional threats to peace posed by China and North Korea.
The Defence of Japan 2008, released on Friday, expressed particular concern over Moscow's muscle flexing in the region, pointing out that it came at a time of heightened tension over Georgia.
"Russian military operations seem to be increasingly more active in the vicinity of Japan, including exercises and training, in association with the recovery of troop skill levels," the 425-page report said. "These are trends that require close monitoring."
Threat to stability
The study cited an increase in the number of exercises and patrols by warships of the Vladivostock-based Russian Pacific Fleet, including nuclear-powered submarines, and long-range aircraft.
On February 9, aircraft of the Japan Air Self-Defence Forces were scrambled to intercept a Tu-95MS Bear bomber within Japanese air space over the Izu chain of islands, south of Tokyo. It was the first time a Russian military aircraft had been detected in the area since 1975.
"I think the renewed Russian presence in areas close to Japan has come as a surprise to the Defence Ministry, but the feeling is still that the largest threat to stability is from China and North Korea," said Hisao Yuwashima, a defence analyst.
While it is the amount of money that China is spending in expanding its military, it is the sheer unpredictability of the North Korean regime that keeps the Japanese military on its toes, he said.
"The best thing would be for Kim Jong-il to be overthrown or replaced and the country then normalise its relations with neighbouring countries.''
Lower house: November poll plan
Parties within Japan's ruling coalition are discussing a plan for a lower house election on November 9, Japanese daily Yomirui Shimbun reported on Saturday.
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior partner, New Komeito Party, see a better chance of garnering more votes if an election is held shortly after the LDP selects its new leader to replace outgoing Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda on September 22, the paper said.
The winner of the race for LDP leadership is assured of becoming prime minister by the virtue of the party's majority in parliament's lower house.
The LDP and New Komeito's plan is for the new prime minister to make a policy speech on September 29 at parliament's extraordinary session and answer party representatives' questions from October 1-3, the paper said.
Then, the PM will dissolve the lower house on either on October 3 or 6. In the race for Japan's next leader, former foreign minister Taro Aso, who now holds the LDP's No. 2 position, is seen as the frontrunner, but faces six would-be rivals.
- Reuters
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