Japan has called for the transfer of missiles for Patriot systems to Ukraine
Japanese lawmaker Shigefumi Matsuzawa has called on the government to consider providing Ukraine with interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems amid an escalation of Russian airstrikes.
During a meeting of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense, the member of the House of Councillors appealed to Defense Minister Shinzō Koizumi to support such a decision. According to him, Ukraine continues to face a shortage of missiles for its air defense systems, leading to significant civilian casualties and infrastructure damage.
Matsuzawa emphasized that following changes to the rules governing the export of defense products, Japan is now able to consider such deliveries. At the same time, he acknowledged the existence of certain legal and political constraints but is convinced that they can be overcome.
The lawmaker also stated that now is the time for Tokyo to demonstrate the principles of “proactive pacifism” and make a political decision in support of Ukraine.
Japan is one of the manufacturers of PAC-3 missiles for Patriot systems. They are produced by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which also participates in the international supply chain for components for these air defense systems.
At the end of 2025, Japan completed the transfer of a batch of PAC-3 missiles to the United States. Currently, the country has 24 Patriot batteries in service, comprising approximately 120 launchers.
Source: Japanese Parliament.
As a reminder, Japan wants access to the most powerful AI to protect against hackers.
Japan is replacing people with robots on a massive scale due to the demographic crisis.
