Japan picks $1.2 bil Lockheed radar for Aegis Ashore batteries

China is reported to have completed the development of missiles that can fly five-to-six times faster than the speed of sound whereby they can break through the missile defense systems currently employed or to be employed by Japan and the U.S. (The Yomiuri Online: August 4) .

So what's the meaning of Japan buying the two missile batteries, Aegis Ashores, from the U.S. that could cost around 400 billion yen ($3.6 billion) ? This is nothing but a laughing stock or a white elephant on a global, historical scale, indeed.

See:

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2018/07/13/reader-mail/aegis-ashore-foolish-waste-money/#.W1_3py97GWY

And:

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2018/07/27/reader-mail/oligarchs-behind-military-spending/#.W1_3yC97GWY

"meant to guard against North Korean missile strikes."

Trump's pretty much ended that threat. Oh, the threat still exists, but the chances that N.Korea will ever launch missiles against Japan is pretty nil at this point, Kim would have to be totally looney tunes to do that at this point. Hey, there haven't been any missile launches in several months, and steps have been taken to start dismantling the launch sites. But hey, let's go ahead and spend $1.2 billion just in case Trump fails and Kim does go looney tunes.

Those with such negative comments about defense spending and the US have absolutely zero knowledge of history and geopolitics. The reason regional conflicts such as China invading Taiwan, etc. are kept in check is because of the US military..and the reason you even have a device to post on this website is because the US Navy keeps the seas open for trade. Try to think a bit, will ya?

Japan picks $1.2 bil Lockheed radar

Ha! As if Japan ever had a choice.

@nh9994

unbeleivable waste of money in the face of the natural disasters

Japan does need a missile defense, since there are three countries hoping to settle the score with Japan.

However, my point is that the planned Aegis Ashore is not sufficient enough, since it could easily be defeated by SLBMs.

What Japan needs is six THAAD batteries at the cost of $10 billion, but that's considered too rich for cash strapped Japanese government.

This is another case of a white elephant after the Henoko relocation in Okinawa. The system's accuracy rate is unknown or very unreliable at best as tests to shoot down incoming missiles have shown on many occasions. And more so if multiple missiles were coming in simultaneously.

Furthermore, in six years the system may become obsolete as Japan4life assumes.

The government must know all this, and yet why do they buy it? Nothing can explain this absurdity except that the Abe government is wagging a tail to Washington not to offend it, as always. A spineless, sycophantic bunch of people they are at the helm of the nation!

unbeleivable waste of money in the face of the natural disasters that have ravaged Japan the last few years and the continuing suffering that they caused due to insufficient defences. Surely stuff like this should be prioritised over buying shiny new toys to keep the orange tit happy, seems like Abe is just another conservative hawk spending public funds on defense contracts to line the pockets of his fellow hawks.

Wasn't his aim to rebuild the Japanes economy, how is buying this stuff going to achieve that in any way?

At the very least if this stuff ain't going to be available off the shelf yet wouldn't it be better to wait another 6 months to a year to see how the denuclearisation goes on the peninsula?

largest tone deaf $1 billion dollars ever spent, and the population loves it. What can you do?

No matter what the reasons may be this deal has forged Japan's military strength once again... for good or bad.

It's easy to defeat the Aegis Ashore; just launch SLBMs some 500 km from Tokyo, making sure that it doesn't rise above 100 km, the minimum SM-3 interception altitude.

China, Russia, ROK, and NK all have SLBM subs.

Ganbare,

If having a missile defense system is required for you to sleep better, how have you survived for the past 70 years? Also, congratulations on hitting your 73rd birthday.

Second, do you really think Japan is Trumpo’s #1 ally? He’d gonna tariff your butt back to China if he could. Unless you buy a billion-dollar system from Him. (Not lockheed).

Ganbare Japan!,

Sorry to disappoint you but The Mainichi Newspaper is reporting that for the deployment of the first battery, the U.S. side has said about six years are needed after "concluding a contract" with Japan, according to  Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera. So looks like 6 more years of sleepless nights for you and in 6 years the system will probably be obsolete so Japan will then have to buy Lockeed Martin's latest system.

As other posters have pointed out, this is a massive waste of money that could be better spent on some of the many things that Japan needs to do to improve the lives of its people.

So shoot down 4, or buy the Russian one the shoots down 24. Somebody has brains.

I am really happy with this choice. Lockheed is a superior Defense Corporation protecting USA for decades, and can now synchronize system to suit number one ally, Japan. I will sleep better at night when system is in place in a year or 2.

The amount of negative votes would lead me to assume there is a "glitch"?Or as was proved on the weekend when a Twitter account was blocked promoting a protest. Think the government is trying to do a China in Japan. Mmmmm things are getting hand out of. No money for TEPCO victims. But loads and loads of money loads more for 2 emplacements? Getting to the point where ¥1 coins are the currency yet somehow the government has money for this?

Made with American or Japanese steel?

^ Because only a knob-heed would waste money on them.

Now why does the name Lockheed ring a bell?

What a disgraceful waste of money , just to appease Trump and corporate America. North Korea is and never was a threat to Japan, nobody, would ever dare to use nuclear weapons in fear of retaliation. Having nuclear weapons and the technology is only a deterrent, the US wants to be the big bully on the world stage, I've got it, but you can't have it mentality.(The 2018 Defense Budget was signed into law on December 12, 2017 by President Trump. The defense budget authorizes just under $700 billion in defense spending) Take away Americas threat of superior military power and what do you have , nothing, just another country with all the same domestic problems. Wake up world, there are far more important and urgent problems that need solving. The present US government seems to be going round the world at the moment with a big stick, can someone please stand up and take it away.