[imText1]The Japanese Ministry of Defense has issued a prediction that the North Korean system could grow unstable in the near future due to Kim Jong Il’s apparently deteriorating health condition and the power shift which is a likely result of any succession.
The Ministry published its analysis in a 2009 Defense White Paper issued on the 17th
The White Paper suggested, “We need to consider the effects of Kim’s health situation and the succession issue on North Korea’s system, and to vigilantly watch related movements.”
It is the first time that a Japanese Defense White Paper has explicitly mentioned Kim Jong Il’s health.
It stressed that the North’s second nuclear test in May showed the possibility that its nuclear techniques have been enhanced. Regarding future developments, it emphasized, “The possibility of developing miniature nuclear weapons cannot be excluded, so we need to pay close attention.”
It concluded by heavily criticizing North Korea’s long-range ballistic missile launches, calling them “an unacceptable action that threatens the peace of Northeast Asia and the international community.”
