No Deployment of Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System in Japan’s Akita City

Japan Ministry of Defense has scrapped its plan to deploy Aegis Ashore land-based missile defense system in the city of Akita after locals strongly opposed government’s decision over possible health concerns.

Other state-owned plots across Akita, Aomori and Yamagata prefectures are now being considered for the deployment of Aegis Ashore systems, Japanese media reported Thursday.

The systems will supplement Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Aegis-equipped destroyers.

In 2017, Japan decided to deploy two batteries to the Ground Self-Defense Force training areas. Two years later, it chose Akita’s Araya district and Yamaguchi’s Mutsumi for the deployment which was to take place by 2025.

Locals soon began resisting the government’s plans citing health effects of electromagnetic waves emitted by the Aegis Ashore’s radar, as well as the possibility that they could become a target in an armed conflict.

In addition, a geographical survey used by the Japan MoD as the basis for picking the sites was found to contain numerical errors.

The ministry is now redoing the survey, results of which will be out by the end of May.