The Japan News:
It is essential to steadily upgrade the nation’s defense capability in preparation for future threats. As East Asian countries have advanced their missile development, defense against them is a priority issue.
The government plans to introduce a land-based Aegis system, known as “Aegis Ashore,” capable of shooting down ballistic missiles, and aims to start operating the system in fiscal 2023. It intends to deploy the system at training sites of the Ground Self-Defense Force in Akita and Yamaguchi prefectures with two units that will cover the whole of Japan.
Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera visited both prefectures and asked their governors for understanding of the planned deployment of the defense system in the prefectures.
