Japan has lifted its arms export ban and is preparing to send Patriot air defence missiles to the United States. This will help the Pentagon to continue supplying Ukraine by replacing stocks.
Japan will help the US to continue supplying Ukraine
As the publication Reuters notes, although Japan's new export control still prevents providing weapons to countries at war, it may indirectly benefit Ukraine, giving the US additional opportunities to provide military aid to Kyiv.
An anonymous representative of the Japanese government said that the missiles will be used to replenish the arsenal of the US armed forces for security in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Patriot system is one of many modern air defense systems deployed by the West to help Ukraine after the Russian invasion. Japan produces Patriot missiles under license from the American firms Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, Reuters clarifies.
A Japanese government official said exports are considered after the country where the license holder is based makes a formal request, adding that the United States has been the only country to make such a request.
Tokyo is also considering exporting 155-mm artillery shells produced under license to BAE Systems to Great Britain, the Financial Times reported.
What is known about Patriot for Ukraine,
Earlier, it was reported that Japan will deliver several dozen Patriot missiles to the United States. They are PAC-2 and PAC-3 interceptors. The former is designed to destroy types of ballistic missiles by exploding nearby. At the same time, the latter are direct-hit munitions that target missiles and aircraft directly and have a higher explosive power.
The cost of more advanced PAC-3 interceptors is about $4 million each.
The move came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed concern about his country's defence capabilities during a visit to Washington in December.
Currently, Ukraine uses the Patriot system to shoot down Russian ballistic missiles, including the aeroballistic missile Kh-47M2"Kinzhal".
In addition, in May, the Patriot air defence unit shot down three enemy helicopters and two planes that were in Russian airspace after shelling Ukraine.
