All Saturday morning papers reported that the Defense Ministry formally asked the Finance Ministry to earmark some 2.2 billion yen in the FY2018 budget in order to procure three types of long-range cruise missiles to be mounted on ASDF fighter jets with the goal of defending remote islands and enhancing deterrence against North Korea’s provocations. Defense Minister Onodera on Friday dismissed the view that the procurement of the Joint Strike Missile, Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, and Long Range Anti-Ship Missile is intended to enable the SDF to acquire the capability to strike enemy bases, which is prohibited under the Constitution. However, Mainichi said senior MOD officials and many former defense ministers share the view that the procurement of the three types of missiles was decided with the acquisition of such capabilities in mind.