The Japanese government on Friday formally decided to establish its missile defense system.

The Security Council and the cabinet approved the Defense Agency's plan at a joint meeting on the day, Kyodo News reported.

The government plans to allocate up to 100 billion yen (US$934 million) in the fiscal 2004 budget for the project. The agency estimates 700 billion yen (US$6.5 billion) will be needed for the entire missile system in a five-year period, Kyodo said.

Under the plan, Japan would introduce from the United States the SM-3 and PAC-3 missile systems to build a dual shield. The ground-to-air PAC-3 is able to intercept ballistic missiles which have reentered the atmosphere, while the ship-launched SM-3 has a longer range to punch the target outside the atmosphere.

Japan started the missile defense project after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea launched a rocket in 1998, which Japan claims a ballistic missile.

The decision is another demonstration that Tokyo is determined to ease restriction posed by the pacifist constitution on the Self-Defense Forces (SDF). Japan has sent troops abroad to provide support for the US military and participate in UN peacekeeping operations. A contingency bill endorsed in June reinforced the commanding power of the prime minister and enabled the SDF to launch preemptive strikes. 

(Xinhua News Agency December 19, 2003)