Gov't aims to sign military supply pact with S. Korea this fall

TOKYO, Feb. 7 Kyodo - The Japanese government aims to sign with South Korea this fall a pact on mutual exchanges of military supplies and services, sources close to the matter said Monday.
Nobushige Takamizawa, director general of the Defense Ministry's Defense Policy Bureau, revealed the plan at a meeting of Democratic Party of Japan lawmakers engaged in defense issues, according to the sources.
Takamizawa's remark came nearly a month after Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa and his South Korean counterpart Kim Kwan Jin agreed in Seoul to start discussions toward the signing of an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement, or ACSA.
The pact would stipulate reciprocal provision of supplies such as food, water and fuel plus medical services between the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the South Korean military in conducting international cooperation activities. The specifics of operations would be defined by each country's domestic laws.
The bilateral ACSA would entail cooperation on U.N. peacekeeping operations and humanitarian assistance, as well as search and rescue operation drills.
Some South Korean officials remain cautious about cooperation with Japan's SDF in the event of any contingency on the Korean Peninsula, so both governments are expected to exclude dealing with emergency situations there from the pact, the sources said.
Japan already has ACSAs with the United States and Australia.