(Washington Composite Electric) Japan decided to export the US -Patriot missile defense system to help supplement the US missile inventory, which surprised the analysts of the Indo -Pacific Affairs, saying that Japan "made fundamental mistakes."
The Japanese government relaxes weapon export restrictions on Friday (December 22).Under the new regulations, Japan decided to export to the United States to control the air -missile defense system by the "Patriot 3" authorized by Lockheed Martin in Japan.This was the first time in Japan to export deadly weapons since the end of World War II.
Former Deputy Assistant Minister of the US Department of Defense and co -founder of the US strategic think tank "Marathon initiative", Kobeji told Nikkei Asia: "Asia must be the first."
The United States has repeatedly referred to China as the largest long -term threat. Now it is required to sell weapons in Japan, which is considered to have weakened the force's force in the Indo -Pacific region and indirectly support the United States to assist Ukraine.
Kobeji said that the Bayeng government preferentially considering the needs of Europe, Japan decided to cooperate with the US position as "a fundamental mistake."
Japan officially emphasized that the weapons that are not allowed to transport the delegation to the country that is in the event of war; if the United States wants to export these patriots to the third country, it must first get the first to Japan.However, analysis generally believes that even if Nissan's patriotic missiles are not exported to Ukraine, after filling the United States' inventory, it will allow the United States to output the US air -made air defense system more freely to Ukraine.
Cunki International Peace Foundation senior researcher Cavana also criticized this "short -sighted decision" of Japan and the United States.She pointed out that most of the evaluation believes that Japan does not have enough air defense capabilities to defend its air force base, in order to prevent China from launching attacks, and Japan further reduces inventory and causes huge risks.
The Japanese Ministry of Defense said last year that Japan currently only has about 60 % of the interception missiles that the country must defend the countries.
However, Giriko, a senior researcher at Stin Sheng Center in the United States, believes that in the long run, the sale of air defense systems has some benefits for Japan.First of all, this creates a precedent for Japan's export weapons to the United States.This may also drive the United States and Japan to jointly produce ammunition weapons and further strengthen the relationship between Japan and the United States.