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**Ironduke** · 05-14-2007, 04:54 AM

Quote:

Japan to develop laser weapons

TOKYO (XFN-ASIA) - Japan plans to develop high-powered laser weapons next year to strengthen its anti-missile defense system in response to the growing military threat from North Korea, the Mainichi Shimbun reported.

The newspaper, without identifying any sources, said over the weekend that the Defense Ministry would ask for funds for research into and development of ground-based laser weapons in the annual budget request for the fiscal year ending March 2009.

The Mainichi said developing airborne laser, or laser weapons installed in an airplane, was included in a longer-term plan by the ministry.

The US called for Japanese cooperation in the development of airborne laser during a meeting on May 1 of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, her Japanese counterpart Taro Aso, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Japanese Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma.

However, deployment of airborne laser may breach Japan's pacifist constitution, because it is designed to attack enemy missiles immediately after they are launched, which may constitute offensive action in foreign airspace, the newspaper said.

Japan has been stepping up its military cooperation with the US and has vowed to push ahead swiftly with joint missile defenses first prompted by the North's firing of a missile over the Japanese mainland in 1998.

Source: Japan to develop laser weapons amid NKorean threat - report - Forbes.com