The delivery of the missiles will enable Japan to respond more effectively to current and future threats, defend its homeland and also American personnel in Japan.
The US State Department on Friday approved the sale of 1,200 advanced air-to-air missiles and related equipment to Japan. The $3.6 billion deal could strengthen the country’s defense and contribute to political stability in the region, TASR reports, according to an AFP report.
Stronger security ties
The ministry approved the sale, but it still needs to be approved by the US Congress. “The potential trade will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by strengthening the security of a key ally that is a driver of political stability and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific region,” the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement.
According to the report, the trade would enable Japan to respond more effectively to current and future threats, defend its homeland and also US personnel in Japan. The country will easily “integrate these assets and services into its armed forces,” DSCA added.
In recent years, Japan has strengthened security ties with the US and other countries due to the activities of China, which is intensifying military pressure on Taiwan. At the same time, it is strengthening its presence around disputed territories in the Pacific.
