Japan to allow exports of Standard Missile-3

Posted by Mc Parry on July 26th, 2010

TOKYO, Japan is set to allow exports of missile interceptors it is developing jointly with the United States, Kyodo news agencysaid, relaxing its ban on arms exports. Europe is considered a likely destination for the ship-based Standard Missile-3 Block IIA, Kyodo said on Sunday, citing unnamed sources close to Japan-U.S. relations. The advanced missile defence system is key to U.S. plans to be able to defend all of NATOs European territory from a perceived Iranian ballisticmissile threat.

A Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) is launched from the Japanese AEGIS Destroyer JS Kongo, December 17, 2007 ( U.S. Navy ) Separately, the Yomiuri newspaper said on Monday an advisory panel to Prime Minister Naoto Kan will call for relaxation of Japans weapons export ban in a report next month. Japan has banned arms sales since 1967 to countries with communist governments or that are involved in international conflicts or subject to United Nations sanctions.

The rules have meant virtually a blanket ban on arms exports and the development or production of weapons with countries other than the United States, hurting the competitiveness of defence contractors such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. Nippon Keidanren, Japans largest business lobby, has called for an easing of the restriction, which has prohibited the countrys defence industry from joining multinational projects such as Lockheed Martin-led F35 Joint Strike Fighter. (Reuters)