Japan sticks to key missile-shield deal: U.S. general

Reuters vis The Washington Post ^ | 4/21/2010 | Jim Wolf

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Japan remains fully committed to building a linchpin multibillion-dollar missile interceptor with the United States, the head of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency told Congress, even as U.S.-Japanese ties adjust to a new era.

Army Lieutenant General Patrick O'Reilly said on Wednesday he had held several high-level program reviews with Japanese government officials since the Democratic Party of Japan's victory in the August 30, 2009, elections for the legislature's lower house.

"They have indicated that they are in full support and their commitments are solid," he told the Senate Appropriations Defense subcommittee, referring to a Standard Missile-3 upgrade program in its fifth year of development.

Published reports from Japan have said the coalition government of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama that took power in September plans to reduce overall missile-defense spending.

Japan has spent just over $1 billion to help build a more capable SM-3 version, said Richard Lehner, a Missile Defense Agency spokesman. It is being co-developed with Waltham, Massachusetts-based Raytheon Co, the world's biggest missile maker