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Continuing developments in the far east.  First, Seoul denounces Japanese Cabinet:

“It is nothing other than a grave situation that Japanese Cabinet ministers repeatedly raised the possibility of launching pre-emptive strikes and the justification of armed actions on the Korean Peninsula,” presidential spokesman Jung Tae Ho was quoted by Yonhap News Agency as saying. 

What a strange world we live in.  North Korea launches missiles over Japan, Japan then discusses the right of self defense, and then South Korea denounces Japan.  Get the order?  Again, N. Korea launches, Japan talks self defense, S. Korea denounces Japan.

South Korea has relied on U.S. troops to be the defense against Kim Jong Il for many years now, and essentially caves to N. Korean pressure by denouncing Japan.  Is South Korea anything but a lap dog?  Want more?

North Korea has walked out of the “negotiations.”  South Korea has frozen aid to the impoverished North Korea as a result of the launches:

PUSAN, South Korea (Reuters) – North Korea stormed out of talks with South Korea on Thursday and Seoul froze food aid to its impoverished neighbor, as regional fissures over how to deal with Pyongyang’s missile tests widened.

Pyongyang also appeared to have stood up to its closest ally, Beijing, which has sent a “friendship delegation” to North Korea.

“So far they don’t seem to be interested in listening, much less doing anything,” U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill told reporters in Beijing. “I think the Chinese are as baffled as we are.”

I still don’t buy this about China being powerless or “baffled.”  But regarding South Korea, can someone tell me why they have been supplying aid to their enemy — the ones sworn to recombine the Korean peninsula?

Finally, after thinking about it, I still hope that all this talk about sending in a few Japanese fighters to take out missile sites is just that — talk.  Japan needs to rearm itself, go nuclear and then effect whatever defensive posture it feels that it needs.  I still think that it is not currently ready.

***** UPDATE *****

The Strategy Page has this (Japan has the right to a preemptive strike):

Japan has a stronger military than it advertises. In May, 2003, it quietly launched the first or a series of spy satellites into orbit, the better to keep tabs on potential threats like North Korea. Ignoring North Korean threats of “disastrous consequences,” Japan successfully launched a rocket carrying two military spy satellites, giving the island nation its own space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capability. Tokyo is also accelerating development of missile defenses, building its commando forces, and working on creating an in-flight refueling capability for its fleet of F-15 aircraft, which would give them the ability to strike North Korea on a large scale. There is even a suggestion from some in the Japanese government that the country should build nuclear weapons – a call that may be heard more loudly now that North Korea is threatening to launch its own nukes at neighboring nations. A second set of satellites was subsequently launched. The four orbit at an average altitude of 500 kilometers, allowing Japan to photograph any part of the world at least once a day. The satellites carry optical- and radar-imaging capabilities, and it would be surprising if they did not also possess at least some electronic-intelligence capabilities. The Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force has approximately 45,800 sailors, 146 warships, 179 airplanes, and 135 helicopters. Its fleet is divided into four flotillas, each around a 7,200-ton Kongo-class guided missile destroyer with AEGIS-capable surface to air missiles. The Kongos carry the SPY-1D AEGIS radar. The four Escort Flotillas have 2-3 air warfare ships and 5-6 anti-submarine destroyers, plus ASW helicopters. The JMSDF also fields twenty-three other guided missile destroyers, a number of gun-only destroyers and escorts, and 17 modern diesel-electric subs, perfectly suited for warfare in the Sea of Japan. In possibly confronting North Korea, Japan’s Air Self Defense Force has 46,000 airmen and force of over 330 combat aircraft, including F-15J/DJs, F-4E/EJs, F-2A/Bs, and F-1s. That Japan – a nation traditionally and strictly limited to a defensive military since 1945 — has so publicly declared its intention to “get buffed” and not be cowed by a rogue state is an interesting turn of events in an age of asymmetric warfare.

Maybe I’m wrong about Japan not being ready to make a preemptive strike.  However, it still seems to me to be prudent to go nuclear before anything like this happened.  Going nuclear would cause pause to China in any potential response it might make over North Korea being attacked by Japan.