TOKYO (Reuters) - U.S. officials have proposed putting more anti-missile radar in Japan to help intercept weapons from North Korea headed for U.S. soil, a newspaper reported on Tuesday. Quoting an unnamed U.S. military source, the Asahi Shimbun said the radar would also be intended to better monitor and track ballistic missiles from the communist state heading toward U.S. troops stationed in Japan and South Korea.

Security worries have mounted since North Korea test-fired a barrage of missiles in July and conducted its first-ever nuclear test in October.

Japanese defense officials are considering the proposal, which was made in mid-November, the Asahi said.

The United States currently has anti-missile radar in northern Japan. But that radar failed to pick up missile tests by North Korea in July because it had been monitoring missiles headed for U.S. soil.

Those missiles fell into the Sea of Japan.


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The Current Economic Situation in North Korea

So how is North Korea's economy coming along? Much better than a few years ago.

Andrei Lankov had an interesting article a few days ago on Neo-Stalinist economics vs. capitalism. Many merchants around the country are making tons of money. Sometimes more than party officials. On top of that many North Koreans are buying bootleg DVDs of Korean dramas and small handheld radios from China. Outside information is coming into North Korea.

But if it is, then why aren't the people mad at the current regime? Simple. They're making money and don't want to screw it up. If they start to question the government, then they'll get arrested and thrown into jail and lose all of the money they earned which will go to the government.

NEWS: Moderate conservatives and reformists are beating Ahmadinejad's ultra=conservatives in the local elections! In a few years, North Korea can say good bye to Iranian nuclear technology!

A Fresh New Start

It's been a while. Acid Police is dead. The second name change. I'll be posting on weekends and sometimes weekdays (when I have vacation). I'll post some stuff tomorrow on North Korea's economy. Later.