Monday’s Yomiuri wrote that the Ministry of Defense has made a final decision to deploy the Aegis Ashore land-based missile interceptor systems at GSDF training areas in Akita and Yamaguchi Prefectures. The paper wrote that the ministry is set to start explaining the plan to the local communities in mid-May with the goal of beginning to operate the system around fiscal 2025. Noting that Japan will have to make a huge outlay for the procurement and operation of the expensive missile interceptor systems, the paper speculated that the ministry will seek cost reductions in future negotiations with the U.S. government and Lockheed Martin.