TOKYO, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Japan may review its 2003 pledge to use a missile defense system only to defend itself and not an ally.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki said, "We are to discuss the matter including where the statement's point lies and how far it covers ... whether to review the statement or not is up to the result of the discussions."
The issue comes during a controversy in Japan over whether that country can intercept a missile targeted at the United States, the Kyodo news agency reported.
Earlier, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe asked for a study on whether Japan can knock out a missile flying over its territory, even though its destination may not be known. For now, the government says Japan is prevented from exercising collective self defense under its war-renouncing constitution.
Shiozaki said, ''The issue will be subject to keen discussions from now on ... What I'm saying is that the point on which the prime minister is calling for discussions has room for various interpretations.''
