Japanese Defense Minister: "Aegis Ashore Deployment Canceled, Cost Sharing Discussions with the US Underway"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Taro Kono, Japan's Defense Minister, announced that he will abruptly halt the ground-based missile defense system "Aegis Ashore" project, which had been promoted under the pretext of intercepting North Korea's ballistic missiles, and stated his intention to consult with the United States regarding the related cost burden.

According to NHK and other broadcasts, Defense Minister Kono appeared before the House of Representatives Security Committee on the same day and explained that although the deployment of Aegis Ashore had been pursued, a technical problem was discovered that prevents the booster from falling within the Self-Defense Forces training ground after missile launch, leading to the project's suspension. It is known that resolving the technical issue related to booster drop would require a significant upgrade of the interceptor missile "SM3 Block 2A" itself.

Aegis Ashore is a land-based model of the "Aegis System," which detects incoming missile movements with radar and intercepts them. The Japanese government decided at the end of 2017 to introduce two units of the U.S.-made Aegis Ashore in preparation for potential provocations from North Korea. It was estimated that a total of approximately 450 billion yen (about 5 trillion won) would be required for deployment, and according to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, contracts worth 180 billion yen have been completed so far.

In response, Defense Minister Kono said that while the decision to introduce the system was correct at the time, considering the deployment costs and timeline at this stage, it is not reasonable to continue the project. He added, "As a result, I apologize as the Defense Minister for the situation that has arisen." Regarding concerns that the cost-sharing issue arising from the suspension of the deployment plan could become a point of conflict with the United States, he expressed willingness to consult with the U.S.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi also stated on the same day, "I do not think this decision will affect various cooperations with the United States," and added, "We will work closely with the U.S. and further strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance."

Accordingly, Japanese media forecast that the political burden on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who led the deployment, will increase. The Yomiuri Shimbun reported that the Defense Ministry had been negotiating with the U.S. under the assumption that the booster issue could be resolved by upgrading missile management software, and that Prime Minister Abe received a comprehensive report from Defense Minister Kono on the 12th and approved the suspension of deployment. The Japanese government is expected to hold a National Security Council (NSC) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Abe soon to formally decide on the suspension of deployment.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.