Japan: In a Unique Position for Ballistic Missile Defense

The Japanese Self-Defense Force announced Aug. 31 that it would seek $1.8 billion for ballistic missile defense (BMD) for fiscal year 2007, a 56.5 percent increase over its 2006 BMD budget. Japan will continue to be a much-needed ally in the U.S. BMD program. As the technology matures, however, the Japanese and U.S. initiatives will begin to diverge, just as the two countries' global interests have been doing since the end of the Cold War.