Last month’s announcement that Japan was canceling plans to deploy the Aegis Ashore land-based missile defense system, due to its high costs and local opposition, set off a domestic political debate about future defense needs. This includes the issue of strike capabilities on an enemy base. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party is discussing the matter and is expected to put forward its conclusions later this month. Here is a look at the debate and the issues it raises.
What is the LDP currently discussing?
A group within the party met on June 30 to provide recommendations on a new defense strategy that would include allowing the Self-Defense Forces to attack an enemy base that had launched an attack against Japan. The group includes a number of former defense ministers.