Japan has decided to develop components for interceptor missiles with the U.S. amid pressure from Washington to move forward from joint technological research on a missile defense system to the development stage, government sources said Sunday.
Given that it will require exports of parts to the United States, the government will also have to pursue a politically sensitive review of the three-principle ban on weapons exports, the sources said.
The government will make its final decision at Cabinet and Security Council meetings this fiscal year.