Speculation is growing in Japanese security circles as to whether targets of a proposed "counterstrike capability" would include China's Central Military Commission, its armed forces' highest decision-making body headed by leader Xi Jinping.
The speculation came to light in a parliamentary meeting last week when the Defense Ministry did not answer directly a question from an opposition lawmaker seeking to know whether what has until recently been called "enemy base attack capability" targets would include China's CMC.
The meeting came after the ruling Liberal Democratic Party on April 27 suggested Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government acquire a counterstrike capability to attack enemy bases and "command and control functions."