Japan pushes ahead with missile defense upgrade amid North Korean outcry

Radar systems purchase comes as Tokyo relaxes missile alert level at sea

Japan has selected U.S. company Lockheed Martin to provide radar systems for its planned Aegis Ashore ballistic missile defense (BMD) project, Reuters reported Tuesday. With the purchase, Lockheed will reportedly provide Japan with its Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) systems to improve coverage of the Korean peninsula. Japan selected Lockheed, which already produces the Aegis Ashore BMD, over Raytheon’s SPY-6 radar. The move comes after reports surfaced over the weekend that Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force (SDF) was recalling naval Aegis-equipped destroyers and relaxing its alert level for North Korean missile launches. But yesterday’s revelations suggest Japan