Japan might arm its Aegis Ashore with SM-6

The Yomiuri Shimbun reports that Tokyo is considering whether to install the SM-6 interceptor at its proposed Aegis Ashore installations.

Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Complex Romania
By Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet (Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Complex Romania) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The move will allow the sites to gain an anti-cruise missile capability. However, the installations will have limited coverage due to the shorter-range of the missile.

For a start, Tokyo will first equip its Aegis warships with the SM-6 starting from next year.