US wants more anti-missile radar in Japan--paper

TOKYO, Dec 26 (Reuters) US officials have proposed putting more anti-missile radar in Japan to help intercept weapons from North Korea headed for US soil, a newspaper reported today.

Quoting an unnamed US military source, the Asahi Shimbun said the radar would also be intended to better monitor and track ballistic missiles from the communist state heading towards US troops stationed in Japan and South Korea.

Security worries have mounted since North Korea test-fired a barrage of missiles in July and conducted its first-ever nuclear test in October.

Japanese defence officials are considering the proposal, which was made in mid-November, the Asahi said.

The United States currently has anti-missile radar in northern Japan. But that radar failed to pick up missile tests by North Korea in July because it had been monitoring missiles headed for US soil.

Those missiles fell into the Sea of Japan.

Reuters MQA VP0720