Japan could deploy US long-range missiles - Japanese newspaper claims -

Tokyo: Japan has proposed to the US that Japan could deploy medium and long-range missiles of US origin if the Biden administration is ready for negotiations. For the past few years, only discussions have been ongoing regarding this deployment between the US and Japan. However, a leading Japanese newspaper claimed that the Japanese government has been taking aggressive policy decisions in the wake of growing threats from China and North Korea.

A month ago, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that Japan would abandon the defensive military policy adopted by Japan for the past seven decades. Besides, Japan has prioritised the production and deployment of medium and long-range missiles by increasing its defence spending. Also, the government of Japan has announced its readiness to participate in military exercises in the Indo-Pacific region with its allies and perform military interference if the need arises.

In addition, the Prime Minister of Japan has visited major US and Europe countries. Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun states that Prime Minister Kishida discussed the deployment of medium and long-range missiles in his meeting with US President Joe Biden during his US visit. Moreover, this newspaper has made a claim quoting an official who participated in the negotiations. Also, the newspaper said Japan favours the US deployment of hypersonic missiles.

By 2027, Japan may buy 500 missiles from the US. It was also said that this would include missiles that can hit up to 1000 km. Also, Japan has been discussing the purchase deal of US-made Tomahawk missiles with the United States for the past few years. The newspaper also drew attention to the fact that Japan signalled some of these missiles would be placed on Japan’s Kyushu peninsula and nearby islands.

Although Japan has been making this demand to the US, it is not yet clear whether the Biden administration is ready to accept it. Currently, the US has completely focused on the conflict in Ukraine. In the meantime, reports were released that the US had withdrawn its bases in the Gulf countries and the arms and defence equipment reserved for Taiwan to help Ukraine against Russia. Strategic analysts say that the Biden administration has not been ready to do anything special except make verbal promises when China and North Korea threaten the security of allies like Japan. In such a situation, this claim made by a Japanese newspaper about deploying missiles draws strategic analysts’ worldwide attention.

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