TOKYO, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Japan was the No. 1 Asian importer of arms from the United States last year under the Foreign Military Sales program, Yomiuri Shimbun reported Monday.
Japan spent $1.3 billion on U.S. arms last year, coming second only to Greece, according to data published recently by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency of the U.S. Defense Department.
Japan also made deals worth a further $800 million, making it the third-largest prospective buyer of U.S. arms after Poland and Egypt.
Amid a realignment of U.S. armed forces in Asia, U.S. arms exports to South Korea and Taiwan have decreased, while those to Japan have increased.
Japan has tentative deals to purchase weapon components such as early-warning aircraft and surface-to-air missiles.
