The Japanese government will continue indirect military aid to Ukraine, providing surface-to-air missiles to the United States to replenish its stockpiles due to foreign aid. Japan will provide the PAC-2 and PAC-3 missiles to the United States until the country can increase production.
Japan changed the guidelines for implementation regarding the principles for equipment transfer, allowing finished defense equipment made under license from overseas companies to be shipped back to the originating country.
Russia has carried out fewer missile and drone strikes due to western countries providing various air defense systems to Ukraine after the country requested the systems.
However, this has raised questions about Japanese-made munitions ending up in Ukraine, and Tokyo and Washington have confirmed the missiles will not be transferred to third-world countries. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said if Japanese-manufactured weapons are sent, Moscow will deem it an act of hostility.
