If not Aegis Ashore, Japan needs an alternative shield

East Asian security rests on a knife-edge as US-North Korea talks stall

A personnel shortage is among the factors making it difficult to operate Aegis vessels around-the-clock. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Navy)

NIKKEI EDITORIAL

June 17, 2020 13:10 JST

Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono announced Monday that the country's deployment of the land-based Aegis Ashore missile defense system will be put on hold.

But the risk of a ballistic-missile attack from the likes of North Korea has not subsided. The Japanese government must offer a credible explanation to the public on how it intends to build its missile defense shield.