The potential new missiles could effectively end Japan's self-imposed ban on offensive weapons, two months after an expert panel recommended the country acquire the ability to attack foreign bases.

The Yomiuri Shimbun, which quoted anonymous defense officials in its report, said Japan's concern was North Korean spy and Chinese naval vessels which have been moving more frequently in seas near Japan.

The newspaper said the Defense Agency plans to study the new missile not to attack other countries but "as a measure to counter a possible invasion on a remote island several hundred kilometers away from mainland Japan."

China last month expressed regret after one of its nuclear submarines entered Japanese waters for two hours near disputed islands, triggering a two-day chase on the high seas between the Asian powers.

Japan's current ground-based missiles are only capable of hitting air or seaborne targets as opposed to long-range targets.

Under the US-imposed pacifist 1947 constitution, Japan can use weapons only if it comes under direct attack. Japan, however, is also under the security umbrella of the United States.

A Defense Agency spokeswoman declined to comment on the report.

In October an advisory panel to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi called for the country to change its long-standing position against the use of force and develop the ability to launch pre-emptive strikes on foreign missile vessels.

The Yomiuri said the plan to build the long-range ground-to-ground missiles will be included in a defense plan, set to be approved by the cabinet in mid-December. It will set priorities for the five years from April 2005.

The plan comes at the same time that Japan updates its defense policy guidelines for the first time since 1995. Ruling coalition officials say the new outline will for the first time refer to China as a threat.

In November China responded angrily after a leaked Japanese defense report said Tokyo was preparing for three potential scenarios of invasion by China.

Japan has been reducing its aid to China as its neighbor's economy grows, amid widespread anti-Japanese sentiment in China linked to Japan's bloody occupation before and during World War II.

Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Shoichi Nakagawa said Friday Japan should stop extending aid to China if Beijing no longer wants it.

"I think the principle is that we don't beg the other party to accept the extension if they don't need it," he told reporters.

Nakagawa made the comment after reports that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao told Koizumi during a meeting this week in Laos that China does not necessarily need Japanese aid.

Senior foreign ministry official Mitoji Yabunaka told ruling-party lawmakers that Wen said "the importance (of aid) is decreasing" as the Chinese economy is growing, according to Jiji Press.

All rights reserved. � 2004 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.

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