DATE=9/14/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-238642
TITLE=JAPAN MISSILE DEFENSES - L
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN SAYS HE IS 
'DISTURBED' BY NORTH KOREA'S RECENT MISSILE TEST THAT CROSSED 
JAPANESE TERRITORY.  THE CIVILIAN IN CHARGE OF THE U-S MILITARY 
SAYS 'ANY THREAT TO JAPAN IS A THREAT TO AMERICA' AND SUGGESTED 
TOKYO AND WASHINGTON MIGHT WORK TOGETHER ON BALLISTIC MISSILE 
DEFENSES.  V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS. 

TEXT:  MR. COHEN'S COMMENTS CAME AS HE GREETED THREE MEMBERS OF 
THE JAPANESE PARLIAMENT (DIET) AT THE PENTAGON.

                       /// COHEN ACT /// 

         SO WE INTEND TO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR STRONG ALLIES
         IN DEALING WITH THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.  WE HOPE THAT WE 
         CAN COOPERATE ON THEATER MISSILE DEFENSE ISSUES, 
         EXCHANGE INFORMATION, AND PERHAPS COOPERATE IN OTHER 
         WAYS.

                         /// END ACT ///

THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN PRESSING JAPAN TO WORK JOINTLY ON WAYS
TO STOP ATTACKING (INCOMING) BALLISTIC MISSILES.  BUT U-S 
OFFICIALS SAY JAPAN HAS  NOT  MADE A DECISION WHETHER WORK ON ITS
OWN OR WORK WITH THE UNITED STATES.  U-S OFFICIALS SAY IT IS AN 
EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE AND COMPLEX TASK AND TOKYO IS WEIGHING ITS 
OPTIONS.

THE UNITED STATES HAS SPENT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TRYING TO PERFECT
A SYSTEM TO RELIABLY SHOOT DOWN ATTACKING BALLISTIC MISSILES.  

// OPT // ONE AMBITIOUS U-S EFFORT, CALLED THE 'THAAD' SYSTEM, IS
IN SERIOUS TROUBLE AFTER MISSING ITS TARGET IN FIVE OUT OF FIVE 
TEST FLIGHTS.   ANOTHER ANTI-MISSILE SYSTEM, CALLED THE ARROW, 
HAS BEEN UNDER DEVELOPMENT JOINTLY WITH ISRAEL SINCE 1986. 
PROGRAM MANAGERS REPORT A SERIES OF SUCCESSFUL TESTS, INCLUDING 
ONE MONDAY, BUT THE ARROW IS DESIGNED TO PROTECT A SMALLER AREA 
THAN THE THAAD SYSTEM. // END OPT //

MEANTIME, NORTH KOREA SAYS ITS RECENT ROCKET LAUNCH WAS AN EFFORT
TO PUT A SATELLITE INTO ORBIT, NOT A WEAPONS TEST.  NORTH KOREAN 
OFFICIALS SAY THE SATELLITE RECENTLY COMPLETED ITS 100TH ORBIT 
AROUND THE EARTH.

BUT U-S OFFICIALS HAVE SAID THAT THEY CAN  NOT  DETECT THE 
SATELLITE OR ITS RADIO TRANSMISSIONS.  A KNOWLEDGEABLE U-S  
OFFICIALS SAID MONDAY THE NORTH KOREAN SPACE CRAFT NEVER LEFT THE
EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE, AND COULD NOT HAVE ACHIEVED ORBIT. (SIGNED).

NEB/JR/WDC/JO 

14-Sep-98 3:21 PM EDT (1921 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.