Although the historic summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and South Korean President Kim Dae Jung last month is expected to ease military tension on the peninsula, how this will affect the Asia-Pacific security equation remains unclear, according to the Defense Agency's 2000 white paper, released Friday.
The leaders of the two Koreas agreed during their talks in Pyongyang to call for reconciliation and eventual reunification of the Korean Peninsula. Kim Jong Il also indicated that he would make a reciprocal visit to Seoul at an "appropriate time."
In the face of this detente, the report indicates the Japanese government's readiness to step up efforts to enact controversial emergency defense legislation to facilitate Self-Defense Forces operations in the event of an emergency.