"The people fully understand what kind of danger you're exposed to when the weapons of mass destruction, chemical and biological weapons, fall in the hands of a dangerous despot," Koizumi told the daily.

Koizumi was referring to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, but asked if the term despot could also apply to North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, he replied, "that's related."

While Japan is "overwhelmingly against" their premier's stance on Iraq, Koizumi said that "considering Japan's own defense and security, the public knows the importance of the Japan-US alliance.

"The Japanese defense capability is not adequate, and with the security pact with the US, Japan is defending itself."

He countered criticism that his support of the war was undermining Japan's image as a peacemaker and supporter of the United Nations, saying, "it is possible to make them compatible."

Koizumi said he believed the US war on Iraq "is in compliance with the UN Charter. Some do say that it was a preemptive attack. But I think it is in line with UN Resolution 1441 and other resolutions."

(UN Security Council resolution 1441 of November warned Iraq that it faced serious consequences if it did not give access to UN weapons inspectors and get rid of its weapons of mass destruction.)

While Japan is not contributing troops to the war effort in Iraq, Koizumi said that when the war was over it would help pay for the reconstruction of Iraq, which he would prefer to place under UN direction.

He also said Japanese soldiers could be sent to Iraq as part of a UN-sanctioned peacekeeping force after the war, provided "it's in compliance with the (Japanese) peacekeeping operations law."

On the the North Korean problem, Koizumi said Japan's response "may not necessarily be the same as to Iraq." He predicted Pyongyang "will not actually take the step" of launching a ballistic missile over Japan as it did in 1998.

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