Kono Defense Minister "Aegis Ashore" Emphasis on Promoting Early Maintenance 7:42 on January 14
Defense Minister Kono, who is visiting the United States, visited a test facility of the Aegis Ashore, a new U.S. military interceptor missile system in Hawaii, where he visited, to respond to ballistic missiles deployed by North Korea in combat. He emphasized the desire to proceed with maintenance as soon as possible.
Defense Minister Kono visited a U.S. military missile test facility on Kauai, Hawaii, early in the morning on the 14th of Japan time.
On the premises, there is a test facility for the new intercept missile system "Aegis Ashore", and a VLS (vertical launch device) that launches intercept missiles in conjunction with this test facility.
Minister Kono and the U.S. Department of Defense Hill Missile Defense Directors and others toured the facility's command post and missile launchers.
After the inspection, Minister Kono told reporters that there were rebounds from potential deployment sites in Japan, saying, "There are childcare facilities very close here, I think the distance to the residential area is an important factor, but some are very safe. "
Minister Kono said, "North Korea has deployed a large number of missiles that put Japan within range. We will develop missile defense capabilities such as Aegis Ashore that can cover Japan as soon as possible. I want to do it. "