The United States will send Japan two more Aegis-equipped ballistic-missile defense ships by 2017 for reasons a senior US defense official said included North Korean provocations, treaty commitments to Japan and U.S. national security interests.
This was announced by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel during a joint press conference with his Japanese counterpart Itsunori Onodera on Sunday after the two leaders met in Tokyo to discuss a range of alliance issues, including the threat posed by North Korea.
"In response to Pyongyang¹s pattern of provocative and destabilizing actions, including recent missile launches in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, I can announce today that the United States is planning to forward-deploy two additional Aegis ballistic missile defense ships to Japan by 2017," American Forces Press Service quoted Hagel as saying.
The ships are designed to intercept ballistic missiles post-boost phase and before reentry.
The Aegis Combat System uses powerful computer and radar technology to track and guide weapons to destroy enemy targets. When delivered, Japan will have a total of seven such ships.
The secretary said he visited one of the U.S. ballistic missile defense ships when he was in Japan in October for the "2 plus 2" meeting of U.S. and Japanese secretaries of state and defense.
"This deployment follows our October announcement to establish a second missile-defense radar site in Kyoto Prefecture and my decision last year to increase ground-based interceptors in Alaska," Hagel said, adding that these steps will enhance the United States' ability to defend Japan and its own homeland from North Korea's ballistic missile threat.
In late March, on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague, President Barack Obama, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Park Geun-hye sat down for the first time to discuss the shared threat they face from North Korea. They agreed that they would consider specific steps they could take to deepen diplomatic and military coordination to deter the threat, including joint exercises and on missile defense.
Building off that meeting, Hagel said that he and Onodera had "discussed ways to help deepen trilateral defense cooperation," including through the upcoming Defense Trilateral Talks to be held in Washington this month.
Hagel and Onodera also discussed plans for consolidation on Okinawa, and the secretary thanked the minister for Japan's efforts in securing approval in December for the Futenma replacement facility¹s landfill permit.
Hagel said he reaffirmed the "U.S. commitment to continue exploring ways to reduce the economic impact of our facilities on Okinawa and our desire to be a good neighbor."
The secretary said these issues will be part of revising the guidelines for U.S.-Japan defense cooperation as the United States adjusts its posture in the Asia-Pacific region and Japan expands its roles and relationships around the world.
"The United States welcomes Japan's efforts to play a more proactive role in contributing to global and regional peace and stability," Hagel said, "including reexamining the interpretation of its Constitution relating to the rights of collective self-defense."
During their meeting, Hagel and Onodera also discussed key challenges in the East China Sea.
Hagel stressed that America has no stronger ally or better friend in this region than Japan.
On Monday, Hagel continues his Asia-Pacific trip with a stop in China at the invitation of Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan. Hagel said he'd like to speak with the Chinese about respect for one's neighbors. Coercion and intimidation are deadly and lead only to conflict, he added.
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