This photo shows a submarine-launched ballistic missile that North Korea tested on Oct. 19, 2021. (Photo courtesy of the Korean Central News Agency)

       The Mainichi Shimbun answers some common questions readers may have about Japan's National Security Strategy.

       Question: What is the "National Security Strategy"?

       Answer: It outlines the basic course of Japan's foreign and security policy. Following the example of the U.S., the then administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe first formulated the strategy in 2013. It sets out Japan's policies and course in a wide range of fields, including diplomacy, defense, and the economy. It was drawn up for the course of next 10 years or so, and the government plans to revise it by the end of next year.

       Q: What will they discuss when revising it?

       A: Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has made it clear that he will work on issues such as "strengthening missile defense capabilities, including further effective measures" and economic security.

       Q: What are some of these more "effective measures"?

       A: The government assumes the possession of the capability to attack a base in advance if there are signs of a missile launch targeted at Japan. This is because Japan's neighboring countries, such as China and North Korea, are developing various types of missiles that are difficult to intercept with Japan's current missile defense system. However, with the development of technology to launch missiles from submarines, it is becoming increasingly difficult to identify enemy bases. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party's junior coalition partner Komeito has urged a cautious approach to the issue, calling it "an old-fashioned argument."

       Q: I've also been hearing the term "economic security" a lot recently, but what is that?

       A: It is a concept that links traditional national security with economic policy. It is not included in the current National Security Strategy, and is considered the main reason for its revision.

       Q: Why did economic security become so important?

       A: Because of the intensifying confrontation between China, which has been called the factory of the world, and the U.S. There is a growing need to secure a stable supply of key commodities such as semiconductors, which are known in Japan as the "industry's rice" as in the staple food of the Japanese diet, and to strengthen measures to prevent technological information leaks. Meanwhile, China is Japan's largest trading partner and has deep economic ties with Japan. So, it will be necessary to carefully consider Japan's economic security strategy over the next year.

       (Japanese original by Yusuke Kaite, Political News Department)

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