Lawmakers from Japan's ruling party have approved the Defense Ministry's plan to construct two new vessels equipped with the Aegis anti-ballistic missile system.

Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo explained the plan at a defense and security affairs meeting of the Liberal Democratic Party on Wednesday.

Japan's national security adviser has told his US counterpart that Tokyo is studying alternatives to the US-designed Aegis Ashore missile defense system.

Kitamura Shigeru met Robert O'Brien in Washington on Thursday.

Japan's Defense Ministry says it is considering sea-based alternatives to the Aegis Ashore missile defense system. Earlier this year, the ministry abandoned a plan to deploy the land-based system at two locations.

Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo disclosed the sea-based options at a meeting of ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers on Thursday.

NHK has learned that the US manufacturer of the Aegis Ashore says the land-based missile defense system will be too costly to convert to offshore use.

In June, Japan's government scrapped a multibillion-dollar plan to deploy the Aegis Ashore due to opposition from local municipalities and other reasons. The Defense Ministry is now considering creating an offshore alternative. It is seeking modifications to radars and other equipment by the manufacturer.

Japan's Defense Minister Kono Taro says the government will withdraw a multi-billion-dollar plan to deploy the land-based missile defense system, known as Aegis Ashore.

Kono said, "The National Security Council discussed the matter and decided to give up on the plan to deploy Aegis Ashore in two prefectures, Akita and Yamaguchi."

Japanese Defense Minister Kono Taro says the government has abandoned its plan to deploy the Aegis Ashore land-based missile defense system in Yamaguchi and Akita prefectures.

Kono announced on Monday last week that the deployment plan had been suspended. He explained the background to the decision at a meeting of the National Security Council on Wednesday that was attended by Prime Minister Abe Shinzo and some Cabinet members.

The Japanese government has held the National Security Council after its defense ministry decided to halt a plan deploying a land-based missile defense system called Aegis Ashore.

Defense Minister Kono Taro announced the decision last week, citing the need to modify the missile so that its booster falls safely. To avoid a vacuum in the country's defense, the government plans to use existing Aegis-equipped ships and ground-based PAC3 interceptor systems.

The Japanese Defense Minister has cited technical issues in announcing a halt to the planned deployment of the land-based Aegis Ashore missile defense system in the country.

Kono Taro said on Monday that his ministry discovered it has to revamp an interceptor missile in order to ensure the safe landing of a rocket booster.

Japanese Defense Minister Kono Taro says the government will suspend a plan to deploy the land-based Aegis Ashore missile defense system in the country.

Kono told reporters on Monday that due to technical and financial challenges the plan to deploy the system was being halted.

Aegis Ashore is a land-based missile defense system. Like ships equipped with Aegis, it is capable of intercepting ballistic missiles.

It was developed by the United States, and uses an advanced radar system and SM3 interceptor missiles.

Japanese Defense Minister Kono Taro has announced that the government will suspend a plan to deploy the Aegis Ashore missile defense system in the country.

Kono spoke to reporters on Monday, citing financial and technical challenges as reasons for the decision.