Around the World: Japan

Defense cuts eyed

Tokyo may not have the money to complete its joint missile defense plans with the United States, aimed at protecting it from regional threats such as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Japan's defense minister said yesterday. "The first half of the missile defense plan is complete, but we are considering what to do about the remaining half," a Japanese official quoted Toshimi Kitazawa as telling US Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Japan's new Democratic Party government is trying to slash unnecessary spending to help control debt.