News Story: Japan, Britain To Launch Joint Missile Research

Meteor Missile (Wiki Info - Image: Wiki Commons)

TOKYO — Japan said Thursday it would join forces with Britain to jointly develop missile technology for fighter jets, while also moving to export Japanese-made parts for US surface-to-air missiles.

The decision comes several months after Japan lifted a self-imposed ban on weapons exports, as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe looks to expand Japan’s diplomatic and military presence on the global stage.

The exports would be the first since Japan in April approved a new policy that replaces its 1967 blanket ban on shipping arms overseas.

The joint research with Britain was linked to a European missile project called Meteor, with an initial emphasis on how current Japanese technology could enhance British-developed missiles, according to a statement jointly issued by several ministries, including Japan’s foreign and defense ministries.

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