Japan to ease export of arms defense system

TOKYO - Japan is set to allow exports of missile interceptors it is developing jointly with the United States, Kyodo news agency said, relaxing its ban on arms exports.

Europe is considered a likely destination for the ship-based Standard Missile-3 Block IIA, Kyodo said on Sunday, citing unnamed sources close to Japan-US relations.

The advanced missile defense system is key to US plans to be able to defend all of NATO's European territory from a perceived Iranian ballistic-missile threat.