The government is upbeat following the successful interception of a target in space by a U.S.-made ballistic missile, saying the result will pave the way to completing a nearly ¥1 trillion project to build a missile shield for Japan.
But experts warn the development of the high-tech missile system will lead to a closer military alliance with the United States, a politically sensitive issue in Japan, and could affect the balance of power in East Asia, where China is boosting defense spending and Russia is updating its military.
On Monday off Hawaii, the Aegis-equipped destroyer Kongou knocked out a target missile with a U.S.-made Standard Missile-3 interceptor over the Pacific Ocean.