'Prudent move' for Japan to ditch Aegis Ashore missile defence system

PHOTO: REUTERS
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TOKYO - Japan has effectively ditched its controversially troubled plans to deploy the United States' land-based Aegis Ashore anti-ballistic missile defence system, after years of saying this was required to fight the North Korea threat.

The system was said to be needed to complete a defence triangle with its fleet of naval-based Aegis-equipped destroyers and Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) surface-to-air missile batteries.

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