Adm. Gary Roughead, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, is confident that the missile defense systems being developed jointly by Japan and the United States can counter threats in the region, including ballistic missiles from North Korea.</PARAGRAPH> <PHOTO> <TABLE WIDTH='250' ALIGN='RIGHT' BORDER='0'> <TR> <TD><IMG ALT='News photo' BORDER='0' SRC='../images/photos2007/nn20070501f1a.jpg' WIDTH='250' HEIGHT='347'/></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><FONT SIZE='1'><B>Adm. Gary Roughead, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, gives an interview recently in Tokyo. </B> KYODO PHOTO</FONT></TD> </TR> <TABLE> </PHOTO> <PARAGRAPH>Roughead also indicated in a recent interview in Tokyo that there have been active exchanges between the U.S. and Chinese navies following the encounter by the USS Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier with a Chinese submarine in international waters off Okinawa last year.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>'I would say it is possible to hit a missile with a missile because we have done it. We have done it many times,' Roughead said, referring to tests that have been conducted in developing ballistic missile defense systems.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>'Our testing, especially with the navy's ballistic missile defense that's based on the Aegis weapons system that both the U.S. and Japan have as part of their capability . . . –

proven that capability. I have great confidence in that capability," he said.

The commander of the Hawaii-based fleet admitted the system is "very expensive" but said it is because of the advanced nature of the technology involved and that he is pleased with the progress in developing the capability together with Japan.

Concerning the Japanese government's intention to study the possibility of easing its self-imposed ban on the exercise of the right to collective defense to protect allies under attack, Roughead declined to comment directly but emphasized the importance of prompt information-sharing between the two countries in the event of a missile attack.

"The approach and the process that the Japanese government is going through in that regard is really a matter for the Japanese government to work through and think through," the 1973 U.S. Naval Academy graduate said.