Japan approved a plan to develop with the United States a next-generation shipborne missile defence system, amid growing concern about North Korea and rising tension between Japan and China. The government decided to launch in the financial year from March 2006 development of the system based on the US sea-based Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) after six years of joint research. “The missile defence system is purely and solely defensive in nature to protect the lives and assets of the people,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe said in a statement after the decision on Saturday.Full Story