Tough-talking Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara said Monday the United States should lend political support to Japan if Tokyo takes a greater role in defending its territorial waters in the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan.
With the Cold War long gone, Japan should be involved in defending at least its waters in the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan on its own initiative, Ishihara said at a seminar held here by the Hudson Institute.
To that end, Japan should build a fleet of high-speed vessels armed with ship-to-ship or ship-to-air missiles, he said.
While arguing that North Korean ships continue to invade Japan's waters, Ishihara said, "The U.S., based on the Japan-U.S. security treaty, should clearly support Japan when new tensions emerge as a result of action taken by Japan to prevent such invasions."