Japan understands the North Korean risk.

If you are looking for just one example of how the Kan administration has 'put on their big-boy pants' over the last few months, here is one example for you:

Prime Minister Naoto Kan instructed the Cabinet on Friday to stay in Tokyo from Saturday to Wednesday to be on the alert for North Korean provocations during a joint military exercise between the United States and South Korea.

The entire National Security authority is on one-hour recall until the exercise has passed.

Very, very good. A shining moment of competence from an administration that has been far too open to criticism in the past... heck, in the past week.

Now for what is *not* being said: a significant number of Kaijou Jieitai (Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force; JMSDF; 'our' Navy) have also put out to sea on an unscheduled basis. I'll just cite the usually well-informed and reliable Information Dissemination as an open source post (Wednesday) on this. The JMSDF is not going into the Yellow Sea with the US Navy and ROK forces for this round of exercises, but given how bad things could get in the neighborhood if something happens, it is a very fine idea to have our ships at sea (and armed up).

So here goes. Time to face the risk.