Japan Scraps U.S. Missile Defense System Amid Local Backlash
- Defense minister announces decision at ruling party meeting
- U.S. system was meant to defend against North Korean threat
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Japan will abandon the U.S.-backed Aegis Ashore ballistic-missile defense program, Defense Minister Taro Kono said, after a backlash among residents.
Kono conveyed the decision to ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers Thursday, following a meeting of Japan’s National Security Council the previous day. He told reporters later that the country still needed to guard against attacks from North Korea, the intended purpose of the missile shield.