With Tokyo's cooperation, Washington may also push ahead with development of a Theater Missile Defense (TMD) system capable of downing North Korean rockets.

CNN: TACKLING A CONUNDRUM

After North Korea launched a rocket over Japan's airspace on Aug. 31--Pyongyang maintains it was merely an attempt to place a satellite in orbit--Tokyo quickly overcame its qualms about helping the U.S. develop an expensive theater missile defense (TMD) system to shoot down ballistic missiles.

CNN: ASIANOW - TIME Asia