Romanian Aegis Ashore site. U.S. Missile Defense Agency Photo
Japan has formally ended its plans to procure two Aegis Ashore missile defense sites, citing concerns that the booster on the Standard Missile-3 Block IIA interceptor missile couldn’t be guaranteed to land on military property instead of nearby civilian communities.
Defense Minister Taro Kono announced his intentions to pause the program on June 15. On Thursday, after speaking to the National Security Council chaired by Prime Minister...