Saudi Arabia calls for equitable climate financing at UNHRC    NCM Forecast: Dust storms expected across Saudi Arabia until next week    SR200,000 fine for Saudi and Egyptian in cover-up case    PIF assets soar to $1.15 trillion in 2024    Saudi Arabia advances 14 places to 13th rank in IPR Enforcement Index globally    Hundreds of families displaced by wave of Israeli air strikes on Gaza, witnesses say    Republican Senator Thom Tillis to leave Congress after clash with Trump    Car bomb attack in Pakistan kills at least 13 soldiers    One of Hong Kong's last major pro-democracy parties disbands    Saudi Arabia imposes final anti-dumping duties on imports of steel pipes from China and Taiwan    Iranian Army Chief calls Saudi Defense Minister to discuss regional stability    Saudi Arabia's net FDI jumps 44% to SR22 billion in Q1 2025    Historic Jeddah's visual identity re-imagined through global art installations at Al-Arbaeen Lagoon    Saudi Arabia exit Gold Cup after quarterfinal defeat to Mexico    Al Hilal land in Orlando ahead of Club World Cup clash with Manchester City    Cristiano Ronaldo says the past is over and this season will be Al Nassr's    Al Hilal suffer injury blows ahead of Club World Cup match with Manchester City    Brad Pitt's Los Angeles home 'ransacked', police say    Tehran Symphony Orchestra holds free concert to honor Iranians killed in conflict with Israel    49% of Saudi internet users spend 7 hours a day online    Sholay: Bollywood epic roars back to big screen after 50 years with new ending    Ministry launches online booking for slaughterhouses on eve of Eid Al-Adha    Shah Rukh Khan makes Met Gala debut in Sabyasachi    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Japan likely to proceed on missile shield-Defence Min
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 11 - 10 - 2004

Japan is likely to move a joint research project with the United States on a new missile shield to the development phase soon and believes it can win China's understanding, Defence Minister Yoshinori Ohno said on Friday.
Japan, which decided last December to buy a U.S.-made missile defence system, joined in the joint research on a next generation shield after North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile that passed over Japan in 1998.
"Is it okay just to conduct joint technological research? That would mean just studying and not carrying it out. This will eventually lead to the joint development and production phase," Ohno told Reuters in an interview.
"If it doesn't there will surely be a question as to why we are doing joint technological research," he said.
Asked when Japan would move the project to the development and production phase, Ohno said: "I think that will happen in the not too distant future." He did not give a specific date.
Ohno said he believed Tokyo could gain the understanding of China, which has viewed the missile defence system as a way of keeping its military capabilities in check.
Ohno, who took over the defence portfolio last month, also said there should be a debate on whether to relax Japan's self-imposed ban on arms exports.
An advisory panel to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi recently recommended that Japan ease the decades-old ban on arms exports at least to the United States.
Officials say the relaxation is needed for Japan to export missile defence components to its close security ally.
Given Japan's various efforts towards international peacekeeping, including its dispatch of non-combat troops to help rebuild Iraq, Ohno said he thought Japan could gain China's understanding for a decision to move ahead on missile defence
"Regarding such concerns, I think we will surely gain their understanding," Ohno said.
Japan has stopped short of moving the project to the development stage partly for fear of angering China.


Clic here to read the story from its source.