On Friday, Japan announced that it will provide the United States with Patriot missiles,
replenishing global stockpiles amid Russian missile attacks on Ukraine,
The Wall Street Journal reports, citing an American official.
official, reports UNN.
Details
According to a U.S. official, Tokyo is going to
to transfer dozens of interceptor missiles used to shoot down
ballistic missiles and other airborne threats from its own stockpile,
starting in the first quarter of 2024.
This decision is a landmark for Japan, which for decades
has been imposing an arms export ban on its own for decades because of its desire to stay
out of global conflicts after World War II.
The war in Ukraine and Tokyo's concerns about China and
North Korea have forced Japan to rethink its contribution to international security.
On Friday, the Japanese government announced that it would ease controls on defense exports
products and will allow weapons manufactured in Japan under license to be sent to
the country that issued the license.
"This initiative is of great importance in terms of
strengthening the Japan-U.S. alliance," said Japanese government spokesman Yoshimasa
government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi.
A representative of the Japanese Defense Ministry said that
the timing and scope of the missile transfer has not yet been determined
Zelensky announces new Patriot systems to strengthen Ukraine's air defense in winterDecember 19 2023, 04:25 PM • 31459 views
US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel said that the decision
made on Friday shows Tokyo's commitment to maintaining international security.
security.
"This will help us manage our Patriot arsenal, with
Ukraine and the Middle East, with greater flexibility and strategic deployment," Emanuel said.
deployment," Emanuel said.
According to the publication, Japan still prohibits
to supply weapons to countries involved in the war, meaning that it cannot directly
send Patriot missiles to Ukraine directly.
Ukraine was not mentioned in the Japanese government's statement on
Patriot exports. Instead, Tokyo officials said that the move would strengthen Japan's
Japan's alliance with the United States and will serve as a basis for regional security.
Another Patriot, ammunition and all-terrain vehicles: Germany announces new military aid package for UkraineDecember 14 2023, 04:26 PM • 109143 views
However, according to security analysts, this move
shows that Japan is ready to look for new ways to play a more
more significant role in international security.
"This is an important step for Japan, which reinforces its
commitment to support Ukraine's defense since the beginning of the war," said
Christopher Johnston, a former US National Security Council official who
now works at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
Recall
Earlier, The Washington Post wrote that Japan is preparing a significant policy shift in its
military export rules that would allow it to export several dozen missiles
for the Patriot to Washington.