Japan Keeps Options Open on Aegis Ashore Deployment: Defense White Paper

The Japanese government while examine the possibility of deploying the Aegis Ashore missile defense system (MDS) based on discussion at the National Security Council (NSC).

According to a noting in the 2020 Defense White Paper (DWP) released today, the Aegis Ashore deployment was ‘suspended’ in June 2020. This puts to rest speculation that the Aegis Ashore system for Japan has been canceled.

Currently, Japan’s Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) is an effective multi-layered defense system with the upper tier interception by Aegis equipped destroyers and the lower tier by Patriot PAC-3, both interconnected and coordinated by the Japan Aerospace Defense Ground Environment (JADGE), the DWP said.

In order to effectively counter increasingly complex and diverse airborne threats, the Self Defence Forces (SDF) will establish a structure to conduct integrated operation of various equipment for missile defense and air defense, thereby providing persistent nation-wide protection to simultaneously deal with multiple, complex airborne threats, the DWP said.