The prospect of boosting Japan's military capabilities is worth discussing, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe said Sunday.

Referring to a proposal put forth by the Defense Agency chief, Abe said on a Fuji TV interview show: "It would be natural for us to debate the scope of defense Japan should have based on our defense-oriented policy, given advancing weapons technology, tactics and strategy."

He added, however, that such discussions would not result in a change to Japan's exclusively defense-oriented policy.

Defense Agency Director General Shigeru Ishiba told the Diet last week that Japan should consider boosting its military capabilities, while still maintaining its defense-oriented policy, so that it can strike foreign missile launch sites before missiles are fired.

Some critics interpreted the remarks as an attempt to boost the capabilities of the Self-Defense Forces, possibly to an unconstitutional level.

The remarks came in the wake of growing concerns over North Korea's missile programs.

In the Fuji TV program, Ishiba said the government has no intention of changing Japan's defense-oriented policy.

"We will keep intact the policy of leaving necessary strikes (to counter foreign attacks) to the United States," Ishiba said.

Kim not ill: Seoul

South Korea does not interpret a lack of recent news reports on North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's movements as indicating that he has a serious illness, Defense Agency Director General Shigeru Ishiba said Sunday.

On a Fuji Television program recorded in Seoul, Ishiba said that the South Korean side believes the recent obscurity in the details of Kim's movements is not a result of a serious illness or other trouble, as some people believe.

Last week, the (North) Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported the opening of a one-day session of the 10th Supreme People's Assembly with no senior officials in attendance. KCNA, the country's official news agency, made no mention of Kim.

Since the North Korean leader's visit to the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang on Feb. 12, very few details of his movements have been reported.

Regarding the possibility of North Korea conducting missile launches while the United States is preoccupied with Iraq, Ishiba said both Japan and South Korea agree that they there are no such signs at the moment.

Sunday was the last day of Ishiba's three-day visit to South Korea. He took part in the first meeting between Japanese and South Korean defense ministers since South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun took office in February.