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ARTICLE - Japan

Sullivan: Japan will give US Patriot missiles needed for Ukraine
The Japanese government has decided to transfer interceptor missiles for the Patriot missile defense system to the United States to replenish American stockpiles, a decision welcomed by the White House.
Censor.net
22.12.23 17:55
https://censor.net/en/n3463313

The Japanese government has decided to transfer interceptor missiles for the Patriot missile defense system to the United States to replenish American stockpiles, a decision welcomed by the White House.

This was stated on Friday by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, according to Yevropeiska Pravda.

“This decision will contribute to Japan’s security and to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region by ensuring that the U.S. military, in close cooperation with the Japan Self-Defense Forces, continues to maintain a robust deterrence and response capability,” Sullivan said.

Read more: US plans to seek Japan’s help to provide Ukraine with additional missiles for Patriot system - Washington Post

He added that President Biden “highly appreciates and supports the leading role” played by Japan.

The Japanese government on Friday eased strict rules on defense exports, allowing Japan to make its first export of lethal military equipment next year, The Japan Times reported.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s administration explained that the transfer of defense equipment has become an important political tool both to “deter unilateral changes to the status quo by force and to create a desirable security environment for Japan.”

“By taking such actions, we would like to contribute to the defense of a free and open international order based on the rule of law, as well as to the achievement of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” Kishida told reporters on Friday.

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The changes, recommended last week by a group of lawmakers, come as Japan plans to export Patriot missiles to the United States at Washington’s request to help it replenish its stockpile of weapons depleted by military aid to Ukraine.

To this end, for the first time since 2014, Tokyo has revised the rules for the transfer of defense equipment and technology adopted in 1976, allowing the export of finished defense products, including lethal weapons, manufactured in Japan under a foreign license to countries that hold patents for this equipment.

Previous directives allowed exports to the United States only of licensed components, such as engine parts or missile guidance equipment, and permitted the transfer of non-lethal assets and locally developed technology, such as Japan’s supply of patrol ships and early warning radars to the Philippines.

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Tokyo has made it clear that the upcoming delivery of missiles for the Patriot is intended only to replenish U.S. stockpiles and not for further transfer to third countries. However, according to the revised framework, licensed military equipment can also be transferred to third countries if Tokyo agrees.

This means, for example, that Washington could potentially transfer Japanese-made Patriot missiles or other licensed weapons to European countries, provided that the recipient countries are not officially at war.

While this prohibits missile transfers to Ukraine, the changes made by Tokyo will give Washington and Europe more flexibility when it comes to bolstering Kyiv’s air defense.

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“If Japan transfers its PAC-3 missiles to the United States and Washington exports the (missiles) it already has to Ukraine, it could indirectly support Kyiv without affecting the US air defense capabilities,” said Masashi Murano, a research fellow at the Japan Department at the Hudson Institute in the US. He added that after the exports to Washington, Japan’s domestic missile production will likely be rapidly expanded to fill the gap. Source: