According to the NHK, the Japanese Defense Ministry concluded that the situation on the Korean peninsula had sufficiently improved following the US-North Korea summit in Singapore in June, therefore reducing the possibility of ballistic missile launches by North Korea. The ministry is considering the withdrawal of troops from Japan's northern and western regions on Monday as well.
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However, the ministry noted that a special order on "destruction measures" against ballistic missiles would remain in force in order to counter any possible missile launches. The ministry is also taking steps to be able to promptly deploy PAC-3 defense systems if the situation on the Korean Peninsula deteriorates.
The Japanese Defense Ministry is also expected to retain a PAC-3 unit in Tokyo's Ichigaya district.
In August, Japan deployed PAC-3 defense systems in prefectures of Shimane, Hiroshima, Ehime, and Kochi in response to North Korea's announcement that it has a plan for a potential missile strike near the US Pacific island territory of Guam. In September, the Japanese government decided to deploy an additional PAC-3 unit in the northern city of Hakodate after a missile launched by Pyongyang flew over Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido.
