澳将加入日美研究联合导弹防御系统 (Report: Australia to Join US, Japan in Joint Missile Defense System Study)

日本日经产业新闻星期二援引日本防卫省不愿透露姓名的官员的话说，澳大利亚将与美国和日本一起研究建立导弹防御系统，以抵御亚太地区日渐增长的威胁。

日本官员说，三国将对未来可能出现的事态进行探讨，例如北韩有可能进行的弹道导弹袭击以及中国的导弹射程有可能到达澳大利亚和美国领地关岛等情形。日本和澳大利亚国防部官员拒绝对这一报导作出评论。

这家日本报纸还说，三国将在今年年底前举行会议，就拟议建立的导弹防御系统进行讨论。1998年，北韩发射了一枚导弹，导弹在飞越日本领空后坠落到海里。北韩去年进行了一次核试验。

Japanese newspaper The Nikkei Business Daily Tuesday cites unidentified officials at Japan's Defense Ministry as saying that Australia will join the United States and Japan in researching a missile defense system to counter growing threats in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Japanese officials say the three countries will be exploring possible scenarios involving North Korean ballistic missile attacks and Chinese missiles that could reach Australia or the U.S. territory of Guam. Japanese and Australian defense officials have refused to comment on the report.

The newspaper says the three countries will hold a meeting before the end of the year to discuss the proposed missile defense shield. In 1998, North Korea launched a missile that flew over Japan and landed in the sea. It conducted a nuclear test last year.