The North Korean missile test and Japan

North Korean authorities themselves acknowledge the plight of the nation's people and are requesting food assistance. Yet the country continues to develop missiles and does not hesitate to sell them to other countries for hard currency.

Unfortunately, North Korea's posture of threatening the proliferation of missiles will not win the understanding and sympathy of the international community. It is not permissible to wield a sword in one hand and ask for assistance with the other.

The threat of North Korean missiles, meanwhile, has spurred the Japanese government to embark on advanced technological research into ballistic missile defense in cooperation with the United States. The research will begin within this fiscal year.

Unfortunately, that project is fraught with problems concerning feasibility and cost. It has also generated some wariness among the Chinese. The government must study the project very carefully and approach it with great caution.

-- The Asahi Shimbun, Tokyo