U.S. X-Band Radar Activated in Japan

A U.S. Army X-band radar has been activated in Japan to track ballistic missiles, the Associated Press reported today (see GSN, June 23).

Brig. Gen. John Seward attended an activation ceremony Tuesday at Camp Shariki in northern Japan.

The powerful radar is able to identify small objects at distances of thousands of miles, and can distinguish actual missile warheads from decoys, AP reported.  Work on the radar by Japan and the United States began following a 1998 North Korean long-range missile launch.  It is part of the two allies’ ongoing collaboration on missile defense, which includes development of new missile interceptors.

The radar is located across the Sea of Japan from North Korea, AP reported.  Maj. Martha Brooks, U.S. Army Japan press officer, however would not say whether the radar is designated specifically to monitor the Stalinist state.

“We’re here in defense of Japan, and they put it in a location where they could best track the ballistic missiles,” she said (Hans Greimel, Associated Press/Yahoo!News, Sept. 28).

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