Yoshihide Suga, General Secretary of the Cabinet, also stressed that the Government is discussing strengthening security to ensure peaceful life for the citizens of the country.
Japan is not currently considering the placement of U.S. missiles on its territory due to the termination of the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermedium and Short Range Missiles (DRSMD). This was announced by Cabinet Secretary General Yoshihide Suga at a press conference in Tokyo on Friday.
“We’re not talking about the location, we’re not considering any particular area as a location either,” he said. Thus, Suga answered the journalist’s question whether Japan is studying the possibility of deploying U.S. short- and medium-range missiles after the suspension of the deployment of ABM systems produced by the U.S. Aegis Ashore, because the IRNFT is no longer in force. The Cabinet Secretary General also stressed that since the situation in the region around Japan remains tense, the government is currently discussing the strengthening of security in order to ensure peaceful life of the country’s citizens.
The IRNFT was terminated on 2 August 2019, at the initiative of the USA. Washington explained its decision by Russia’s refusal to comply with the American ultimatum to destroy the new 9M729 type cruise missiles, which the United States and its NATO allies believe violate the provisions of the document. Moscow rejected these accusations, claiming that the technical characteristics of 9M729 missiles were within the parameters permitted by the treaty and made counterclaims to Washington.
Japanese Defence Minister Taro Kono announced the suspension of Aegis Ashore deployment on Monday. The US administration has already authorized the sale of two such complexes to Japan. They were supposed to be placed in Yamaguchi Prefecture in the southwest of the main Japanese island Honshu and in Akita Prefecture in its northern part. Tokyo estimated that they would cover virtually the entire country from a ballistic missile strike.
At the same time, local governments did not give permission to install the complexes, doubting their safety. Concerns in connection with their deployment have been repeatedly expressed by Russia and China, which indicate that the deployment of these facilities will have a negative impact on the balance of forces in the region.