The US government on Friday welcomed and praised Japan's sale of Patriot missiles to the United States to replenish the US military stockpile.
The White House and the Pentagon have issued statements stating that the United States is contributing to the stability of the Indo-Pacific region through air defense equipment coming from Japan and by increasing the American stockpile.
To accommodate the deal, the Japanese government revised its export rules this week, which prohibit the sale of complete weapons systems. Missiles that can be used for US Patriot systems are also manufactured in Japan under a US license.
According to assessments, the Patriot missiles sold by Japan to the United States indirectly allow the US government to continue supplying Ukraine with military equipment. The US military stockpile has been depleted due to continuing shipments to Ukraine and cannot be replenished from domestic sources due to political controversy over aid to Ukraine. (MTI)
