The Maritime Self-Defense Force said Tuesday the U.S.-developed antiballistic missile system addted to a high-tech Aegis destroyer has passed its quality test despite failing to shoot down a mock ballistic missile in space last month.

The Choukai is the second destroyer in the MSDF fleet whose missile shield equipment has been certified as serviceable, following the Aegis destroyer Kongou.

The MSDF equipment certification commission determined Monday that the Choukai's Standard Missile-3 interceptor launcher and other components performed as designed in the test and that the trouble during the test was in the interceptor missile's warhead, the MSDF said.