Japan to remove ban on Patriot missile sales — The Washington Post

This week, Japan will change its defence export policy to allow it to export several dozen Patriot missiles to the United States. This decision will open the way for additional supplies of such missiles to Ukraine from the United States.

The Washington Post reports.

Japan produces missiles for Patriot air defence systems under a licence from Raytheon. US officials told reporters that the document on changing the rules for exporting defence products does not explicitly mention the Patriot system but that the update would meet a key request from the Biden administration.

President Biden discussed the issue with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during the trilateral summit with South Korea at Camp David and at the San Francisco Economic Summit in November.

The Japanese government is expected to announce the changes as early as December 22. The Patriot missiles will not go directly to Ukraine. Japan is considering sending dozens of missiles to the United States. 

Tokyo's step concludes a year of significant changes in Japan's national defence policy, including a significant increase in defence spending and a plan to purchase hundreds of US-made Tomahawk cruise missiles.