2010-12-13 16:10

TOKYO - Japan had no plan of dispatching its Self-Defense Forces to the Korean Peninsula to rescue Japanese nationals in the event of contingencies, local media reported Monday.

"There is absolutely no such plan. Therefore there are no talks (with South Korea)," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku was quoted by Kyodo News as saying.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan said last week the government must consider creating a plan to rescue abducted Japanese nationals in the event of a contingency on the peninsula and may hold talks with South Korea to enable a dispatch of the SDF there in the future, according to Kyodo News report.

Sengoku said Kan's remarks meant that Japan still needs to undertake "mental exercises" about what it could do to handle emergency situations on the peninsula.