The Japanese Defense Ministry intends to actively participate in the program of building missile shelters in the country, which it considers as a means of deterring a potential adversary, Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said in an interview with the Sankei Shimbun newspaper, Report informs citing TASS.
“It is important to start building shelters to protect the population from missile attacks as part of the program to increase defense spending for the next fiscal year. We will actively discuss this issue before the end of this year,” he said.
The minister noted that some objects of the ministry can also be used as shelters. Many structures of this kind are supposed to be transferred underground, he said.
“In a broad sense, we see this as a means of deterrence. The opposite side must understand that it is pointless to shoot at us,” he said.
“North Korea is advancing its ballistic missile program at an extremely high pace. It is becoming increasingly difficult to detect signs of preparation for launch and intercept missiles.”