Ukraine seeks interceptor missiles from Japan: Report

Ukraine is seeking interceptor missiles from Japan, the war-torn nation’s prime minister has said.

“I would like to kindly ask one and only thing ... anti-ballistic missiles,” Ukrainian Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi told Kyodo News in an interview released on Monday.

Koretskyi “expressed hope that Japan will provide Kyiv with air defense systems.”

The Russia-Ukraine war has been ongoing since February 2022.

“It's the most important thing we need to protect our people, infrastructure ... through this (winter) heating season," Koretskyi said about the interceptor missiles.

“I very much hope (for) and count on your country," he told the Japanese news agency.

Ukraine is supplied with Patriot interceptor missiles by a coalition of Western nations, but its stockpile has been depleting.

Japan, a defense ally of the US, is one of the manufacturers of the Patriot surface-to-air missile interceptors under a US license, the report added.

However, Japanese arms exports, under the country’s three principles on the transfer of defense equipment and technology, “to countries in which conflicts are taking place is, (are) in principle, prohibited.”

In April, Tokyo revised limits on defense equipment exports.

The revised terms “on the transfer of defense equipment and technology require countries to sign agreements with Japan on protecting related classified information to be eligible for the transfer of lethal weapons,” it said.

“Even if an agreement for the transfer of defense equipment and technology is signed, the provision of interceptor missiles would need to be green-lighted by (Prime Minister Sanae) Takaichi,” according to Kyodo News.

Koretskyi said: "I do believe in our bright future and cooperation and partnership regarding the reconstruction and development of our country. Even now, we do not want to wait before the war (is) over.”