Japan’s defense minister Nobuo Kishi said Wednesday that he would not rule out the option to conduct pre-emptive airstrikes on enemy bases because the country has reserved the right to do so. During a parliamentary lower house budget panel hearing, Kishi said that such attacks “would fall within the scope of self-defense,” although it would be the last resort to protect Japan from inbound missiles, Nikkei Asia reported. However, he noted that certain conditions must be met in order for an airstrike against enemy bases to be authorized under the self-defense policy, which includes limiting the use of force to only what is necessary to complete the mission. Kishi also noted that Japan “will not possess military capabilities that by themselves would annihilate an opponent,” such as intercontinental ballistic missiles or long-range strategic bombers. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said in a subsequent press conference on Wednesday that Kishi’s intent …