Onodera Seeks Yamaguchi Pref. Support for Aegis Ashore Deployment

June 24, 2018

Yamaguchi- Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera sought the support of Yamaguchi Governor Tsugumasa Muraoka on Friday for the planned deployment of the Aegis Ashore land-based missile defense system in the western Japan prefecture.

At their meeting in the prefecture, Onodera also explained the Defense Ministry's plan to conduct a necessary survey at the envisioned site for the system. It was the first time for Onodera to visit the prefecture to explain the Aegis Ashore deployment plan.

Citing anxieties among local communities, Muraoka called on the minister to continue giving full explanations to residents.

The governor asked Onodera about the need to deploy the Aegis Ashore system, mentioning the central government's decision, announced on Friday, to cancel evacuation drills planned across the country to protect the public from North Korean ballistic missiles.

The decision partly reflects the government's view that the chances of North Korea launching missiles have receded since the historic summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore on June 12.

In response, the minister said, "The possibility of North Korea firing a missile while the United States and North Korea are engaged in dialogue seems to be low." But he added that it is necessary to prepare for a missile launch in case the U.S.-North Korea dialogue fails.

The ministry plans to deploy the Aegis Ashore system at the Ground Self-Defense Force's Mutsumi training area in the city of Hagi in Yamaguchi and at the Araya training area in the northeastern city of Akita.

"North Korea has deployed hundreds of ballistic missiles capable of reaching Japan," Onodera said at a press conference in Tokyo on Friday, before leaving for Yamaguchi.

The threat from North Korea "remains unchanged" as the country has yet to initiate concrete action to denuclearize itself, he added.

Amid easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, some people have begun questioning the need to introduce the Aegis Ashore.

At a press conference in Tokyo on Friday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the central government believes that the two GSDF training sites are "the most appropriate locations" for the missile defense system in terms of protecting people. Jiji Press