Kitazawa, Gates look at exporting jointly developed interceptor › Japan Today: Japan News and Discussion: "Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa and U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates agreed Thursday to pursue talks toward possibly providing a jointly developed sea-based missile shield system to other countries, while the two also reaffirmed their cooperation in regional issues such as tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Kitazawa told a joint news conference after talks with Gates that he conveyed to the defense secretary Japan’s position on exporting the Standard Missile-3 ballistic missile interceptor, and that the matter needs to be discussed.
‘‘I told Mr Gates that we will make a decision within this year,’’ the Japanese defense minister said.
Both governments have been working toward an agreement on the provision to third countries of the SM-3 missile interception system.
A bilateral accord forbids exporting the interceptor to third countries unless Japan consents to do so in advance. Tokyo has a longstanding arms embargo policy.
While acknowledging the need for Japan to undergo the process to make such exports possible, Gates said, ‘‘It makes economic sense to make it available to others.’‘
‘‘We will be working toward that end with the Japanese government…but I think it’s fair to say that the minister acknowledges the economic benefit of being able to make it available,’’ he said."
