The Gold Coast Bulletin

Japan vows to destroy missiles

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JAPAN says it could shoot down missiles for its US ally if North Korea fires them at Guam.

Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera told a parliament­ary session yesterday that a missile attack on the US territory would breach the US deterrence against an attack on Japan. He said that would be a Japanese national emergency because it would threaten Japan’s existence as a nation.

He said Japan in that case can exercise the right to “collective” self-defence and activate the Aegis destroyer ship-to-air missile defence system.

Onodera’s comment underscore­d Japan’s growing military role and reversed its previous position that it can only shoot down missiles headed to Japan.

A defence law that took effect last year allows Japan’s military to defend US and other allies when they come under enemy attack.

South Korea also promised retaliatio­n if the North follows through on its threat to launch missiles at Guam.

The South’s military said North Korea would face a “stern and strong” response from Washington and Seoul if it acts on it threats.

Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesman Roh Jae-cheon said that the US and South Korean militaries are prepared to “immediatel­y and sternly punish” any kind of provocatio­n by North Korea.

North Korea, meanwhile, became the latest critic of US President Donald Trump’s working vacation, accusing him of acting senile while “on the golf links” as the war of words between the two nations continued.

Gen. Kim Rak Gyom, commander of the North’s strategic rocket forces, made the insults via state media yesterday in response to Trump’s “fire and fury” threats against North Korea.

Trump made the remarks during a meeting at his New Jersey golf resort.

Kim said Trump is “extremely getting on the nerves” of his soldiers by making comments that showed his “senility” again.

Kim added that “sound dialogue is not possible with such a guy bereft of reason who is going senile.”

North Korea also issued a statement saying the military action its army “is about to take” will be effective for restrainin­g America’s “frantic moves” in and near the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. It said North Korea will complete a plan by mid-August for the “historic enveloping fire at Guam,” convey it to the commander in chief of its nuclear force and then “wait for his order.”

SOUND DIALOGUE IS NOT POSSIBLE WITH SUCH A GUY BEREFT OF REASON GENERAL KIM RAK-GYOM

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