ABSTRACT
"Normalization" between Japan and North Korea (NK) entails not only establishing official diplomatic ties but also addressing core, long-standing issues between the two countries, such as the legacy of Japan's colonial rule and NK's abductions of Japanese citizens. As the pace and intensity of NK's missile and nuclear weapons program have accelerated, the bilateral relationship between the two countries has grown increasingly tense, hostile and confrontational with North Korean threats to attack not only US bases but also "other targets" in Japan. NK–Japan relations are also mediated through other diplomatic channels, where both the bilateral relationship and Japan's policy positions have been influenced by integration into trilateral and multilateral frameworks for negotiating with NK. Japan's unilateral military response to the possibility of an attack from NK has focused on building up its response and denial capabilities, including the introduction and upgrading of the sea-based Aegis and land-based PAC-3 Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) systems.
