KYODO NEWS - Oct 5, 2017 - 08:45 | All, World

The United States has decided to sell 56 advanced medium-range missiles to Japan for an estimated $113 million, the State Department said Wednesday as the two allies face the growing missile and nuclear threat posed by North Korea.

(Korea Media)

The planned sale of the AIM-120C-7 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles "will provide Japan a critical air defense capability to assist in defending the Japanese homeland and U.S. personnel stationed there," the department said in a statement.

The arms deal, pending approval by Congress, comes at the request of the Japanese government, and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of the matter earlier Wednesday, it said.

Aside from the missiles, the deal includes containers, weapon support and support equipment, spare and repair parts, U.S. government and contractor engineering, as well as technical and logistical support services, according to the department.

"Japan will have no difficulty absorbing these additional munitions into the Japan Air Self-Defense Force," it said.