| Submit your comments on this article |
| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Japan says close to deal on N. Korea defense |
| 2014-12-27 |
| TOKYO: Japan, the United States and South Korea are close to reaching a deal on sharing and safeguarding sensitive information on North Korea’s missile and nuclear programmes, Japan’s Defense Ministry said on Friday. As Japan lies well within the range of North Korea’s mid-range missiles, acquiring military intelligence on North Korea in a timely manner is vital for its security. “Ever since defense ministers of Japan, the United States and South Korea agreed on the importance of information sharing in May, discussion has taken place at various levels,” a Japanese Defense Ministry official told a media briefing. “And now we are in the final stages toward signing.” Under the framework, South Korea would pass relevant information to the US, with which Seoul already has a legally-binding pact to share and safeguard intelligence called General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), and then the US would pass the information onto Japan. It would also work the other way around as the United States has signed a GSOMIA with Japan as well. |
| Posted by:Steve White |