On January 13, an emergency alert warning of an incoming ballistic missile was broadcast to Hawaii residents and visitors. The message, which was displayed on cell phones and televisions statewide just before 8:10 a.m., said: “BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.” The false message was sent when...
On January 9, the U.S. State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Japan of Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA missiles at an estimated cost of $133.3 million. According to a Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) news release, “The Government of Japan has requested a possible sale of four (4) Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block...
Japan’s Cabinet approved a plan to purchase two Aegis Ashore systems on Tuesday in response to the growing North Korean missile threat. During a press conference, Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera stated, “We cannot say what the final costs will be, but we will move ahead [to introduce Aegis Ashore] on the fastest possible schedule, given...
The Japanese Defense Ministry has requested an additional 730 million yen (6.4 million USD) in the FY 2018 defense budget to begin building two land-based Aegis Ashore missile defense systems. Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera told reporters on Sunday that, “There is a need to strengthen our capability to regularly and sustainably defend all of the...
For the next two days, the United States, Japan, and South Korea will conduct a joint missile tracking exercise in the Sea of Japan. The exercise will include Aegis-equipped destroyers conducting computer-simulated training for submarine missile launches by North Korea, according to South Korean military officials. The drill comes as experts speculate that North Korea...
Japanese government officials have announced a 2.9 trillion yen (25.9 billion USD) supplementary budget for missile defense and other programs related to North Korea that will be submitted for approval for the fiscal year through March. According to an unnamed source, Japan is also considering the acquisition of strike missiles, including the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff...
On October 24, the United States, South Korea (ROK), and Japan began a joint missile early warning exercise. Although no missiles will be fired, the two-day joint exercise has mobilized four Aegis Combat System-equipped ships to practice detecting and tracking computer-simulated North Korean ballistic missiles. The USS Stethem (DDG 63) and the USS Milius (DDG...
On September 20, the Japanese Defense Ministry relocated Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) surface-to-air missile interceptors on the northern island of Hokkaido to an air defense base close to the flight paths of recent North Korean ballistic missile tests. The PAC-3 was transported to the southern city of Hakodate on the Oshima Peninsula from a base...
On August 28, North Korea flew what is believed to a be a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. The missile was launched shortly before 6 a.m. Japan local time, and reportedly traveled over 2,700 km before landing in the Pacific Ocean. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called the missile...
On August 17, Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera and Foreign Minister Taro Kono met with U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to discuss the possible acquisition of an Aegis Ashore ballistic missile defense system. Following a succession of North Korean missile tests, the Japanese Defense Ministry has accelerated its...
