The Japanese government is considering the ramifications of a full-fledged war on the Korean Peninsula, a topic that is being discussed within the framework of Japan's National Security Council with the participation of the country's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the Kyodo News Agency reported.
Tokyo is expected to discuss the actions due to be taken by the Japan Self-Defense Forces in the event of an aggravation of the situation on the Korean Peninsula.
According to Kyodo, Japan will have the right to use the collective security mechanism and get military support from the US in the event of a war in the region.
In addition, Kyodo reports, the Japanese government is pondering four possible scenarios for launching military operations on the Korean Peninsula.
These include hostilities between the armed forces of North Korea and South Korea, the US' preemptive strike on the DPRK, a South Korean invasion of the DPRK and a North Korean missile strike on Japan.
Over the past year, the situation on the Korean Peninsula has sharply deteriorated, with North Korea carrying out a spate of missile launches and conducting a nuclear test in early September.
READ MORE: 'Established Fact': Pyongyang Warns of Looming War on Korean Peninsula
The DPRK's actions prompted harsh criticism from the global community, which is seeking to put pressure on Pyongyang through international sanctions.
While North Korea slammed recent UN sanctions as "an act of war," the US said that it does rule out the possibility of a military solution to the issue.
READ MORE: No Side to Benefit From Nuclear War on Korean Peninsula — Beijing
Earlier, Russia and China suggested that the DPRK should declare a moratorium on nuclear tests and missile launches, also urging South Korea and the US to refrain from carrying out joint drills, in order to stabilize the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Washington said "no" to this initiative.
