TOKYO, Sept 12 (NNN-NHK) – Japan’s outgoing Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, yesterday said, the country will come up with a new missile defence plan, by the end of 2020.
The decision came, after the government scrapped in June, a plan to deploy the land-based Aegis Ashore missile defence system, and started to consider an alternative to the expensive system.
“I believe we must improve our deterrence and reduce our risk of attacks by ballistic missiles and other means,” Abe said, pointing out that, there is no change to Japan’s exclusively defence-oriented policy.
“While holding sufficient discussions with the ruling parties, (the government) will set an appropriate path within the year, to deal with the difficult security environment surrounding Japan,” he said in the statement, released in his personal capacity without Cabinet approval.
In a press conference later, Abe said, while his successor is not bound by the deadline, he is sure they will continue debate on the matter.
The Japanese government started full-fledged discussions in Aug, on ways to counter ballistic missiles, after a team of the Liberal Democratic Party called for the “possession of the ability to intercept ballistic missiles and others, even in the territory of an opponent.”
Defence Minister, Taro Kono, said in an event with the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, that, he and others at the National Security Council are discussing ways to make Japan’s deterrence stronger.– NNN-NHK
