Japan to buy U.S. missile defenses

Israel Herald Wednesday 17th December, 2003

Japan reportedly will invest 90 billion yen ($8.2 billion) in a four-year project by the Defense Agency to develop a ballistic missile defense system.

The anti-missile defense system, based on U.S. technology, is deemed necessary to defend Japan against the growing threat from North Korea's Rodong missiles. With a range of 750 miles, the Rodong missiles have been deployed along North Korea's Japan Sea coast, all targeted at Japan.

The Defense Agency only got two-thirds of the money it had initially requested for the system, after protests from the Finance Ministry.

Japan's system, supposed to intercept missiles either in the stratosphere or during their reentry into the Earth's atmosphere, will use the U.S.-built Aegis air defense system and Patriot Advanced Capability-3 anti-missile systems.

The Japanese missile defenses will be manned by the Maritime wing of Japan's Self-Defense Forces, the daily Yomiuri reported Wednesday.