"Steady as she goes" seems to be the mantra of the Noda administration in Japan after the death of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il. The government is taking a watch and wait attitude, neither raising the level of Japan's military alert nor taking any measures to put pressure on the new North Korean leadership. Such a stance may be prudent in the confused days following Kim's death, but without a clear policy toward the North, Japan and its allies risk losing the initiative once again to Pyongyang and becoming hostage to a new cycle of demands and blackmail.
The Noda government is not alone in its cautious attitude. Its statement that Tokyo "hopes to take appropriate action as needed" meshes nicely with the White House's words of reassurance that the United States remains committed to stability and peace on the peninsula and in the region.
Both statements are designed to remove any speculation that either country is contemplating putting pressure on the North during the transition period. Each is being careful not to adopt a military posture that the North could misinterpret as a threat. While South Korea has put its forces on emergency alert, there is no indication so far that American troops are at an alert level, even those based in South Korea.
But the choice is not between only full military alert and total inaction. Kim's death does still present an opportunity for Washington, Seoul and Tokyo to take further steps to manage the longstanding menace from Pyongyang. Presenting a united front toward North Korea and its patron, China, will be particularly important during the coming days. The U.S., South Korea and Japan should openly assert that any provocative or destabilizing act by the North will be met with a strong military response.
Meanwhile, a new regime in Pyongyang, and the prospect of new talks at some point, presents a new opportunity for Japan to reclaim a role as a full partner in a multilateral effort to constrain the North. It's time for Tokyo to rethink its previous approach and find new areas of common ground with its allies.
