Former Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Sanae Takaichi, one of four candidates in the race to lead the Liberal Democratic Party, has expressed her willingness to deploy U.S. intermediate-range missiles in Japan to strengthen deterrence against China and North Korea.
Regarding the threat of ballistic missiles from countries such as North Korea, Takaichi stressed that it is difficult for Japan to counter such a situation with its current missile defense system.
"There is a possibility that missiles will be fired in numbers that all cannot be shot down by our air defense system," Takaichi said during an interview with media organizations on Saturday.
As for the giant neighbor to the west, she added, "If intermediate-range missiles and, if possible, long-range missiles are deployed in western Japan, air bases throughout China will also come within range."
The United States has accelerated efforts to develop ground-launched intermediate-range missiles after officially withdrawing from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty arms-control agreement with Russia in August 2019.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
