Japan Starts Field Surveys for Aegis Ashore Deployment

October 29, 2018

Hagi, Yamaguchi Pref.- Japan's Defense Ministry began a field survey at a Ground Self-Defense Force training area in Hagi in Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan, on Monday for the envisaged deployment of the Aegis Ashore land- based missile defense system.

The ministry also conducted a similar survey at a GSDF training area in the northeastern city of Akita, another candidate site for deploying the missile defense system.

It will study geological conditions through drilling surveys and also check possible effects on the health of local residents from radio waves that the system will emit to detect missiles.

The surveys are expected to continue until the end of February next year.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press conference in Tokyo on Monday morning that gaining the understanding of local residents is a precondition for deploying the missile defense system and that it is important to deal with their various concerns and requests.

As the Mutsumi training area in Hagi is located near a source of water supplied to households, many people expressed concerns over the impact on water quality in the region from the drilling surveys, during meetings to explain the deployment plan to local residents earlier this year.

On Monday, the ministry collected water at a municipal purification plant near the training area that uses groundwater. The ministry also plans to survey well water at nearby houses.

In the Araya area in Akita, ministry and other officials checked the conditions there. Jiji Press