Japan is helping keep Ukraine’s Patriot missile supply alive — without sending Ukraine a single missile.
Here’s how it works.
Ukraine desperately needs Patriot interceptors to defend its cities from Russian missiles.
Japan manufactures PAC-3 Patriot interceptors under U.S. license. But Japan’s arms-export restrictions prevent it from sending them directly to Ukraine.
So Japan sends them to the United States instead.
Those Japanese-made missiles replenish American stocks — giving the U.S. more flexibility to supply its own Patriot interceptors to Ukraine.
And Japan’s role goes deeper.
As far back as 2014, Japan approved exports of Japanese-made gyroscopes used in PAC-2 Patriot missiles after the U.S. production line for the components had shut down.
Japan may not be sending Patriots directly to Ukraine.
But thousands of miles away, Japanese factories are helping keep the supply chain moving — and Ukraine’s skies defended.
Sources: Reuters reporting on Japan’s Patriot production and U.S.-Japan missile cooperation; Japan Ministry of Defense.