TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan declined comment on Thursday on remarks by Taiwan's defence minister that Taipei needed the protection of a proposed regional anti-missile system.

In a closed-door briefing to top officials of Taiwan's ruling Nationalist Party on Wednesday, Defence Minister Tang Fei said it was necessary for Taiwan to take part in the high-tech Theatre Missile Defence (TMD) proposal backed by Washington and Tokyo.

His comments come at a time when Taiwan is facing military threats from China amid an argument over the island's status.

China strongly opposes an anti-missile system for Taiwan and has said the island's inclusion in a TMD umbrella would constitute interference in China's internal affairs.

With a wary eye on North Korea's advancing ballistic missile programme, Japan and the United States signed an agreement on Monday to begin sharing technology on anti-missile defence.

The Pentagon said a memorandum signed in Tokyo provided for the two allies to share technology to speed development of the U.S. navy's new SM-3 standard missile, designed to hit and destroy enemy missile warheads at the edge of space.