US plans to deploy Patriots in Japan

The deployment of the Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) missiles on the southern island chain of Okinawa would mark the first time the US military has deployed surface-to-air missiles in Japan.

The Yomiuri Shimbun, citing unnamed government sources, said Washington told Tokyo at a June 17 working-level meeting in Hawaii of the plans to install three to four Patriot missiles at its Okinawa bases.

An additional 500 to 600 US troops also would be deployed along with the PAC-3 missiles by the end of the year, Japan's top-selling daily said.

Tokyo plans to accept the deployment despite expected concerns in Okinawa, which hosts 75 percent of US military facilities in Japan, it said.

Some 8,000 of the 20,000 US troops in Okinawa are set to leave by 2012 under a recently approved deal.

Japan's Defense Agency confirmed that the two countries were in talks on deploying Patriot missiles.

"Japan and the United States are in talks," a Defense Agency spokesman said. "But no details have been finalized and they can't be confirmed now because the talks are still ongoing."