An upcoming environmental impact study could see the Japanese government scrapping the deployment of the US anti-missile Aegis Ashore system, if electromagnetic waves emitted from its powerful radar are found to affect the health of citizens living nearby. The comment was made by the ministry of defense in response to questions from citizens of Akita Prefecture on Japan’s north-west coast, where one of two Aegis Ashore batteries is planned to be stationed from 2023. A second battery will be stationed in the south-western Yamaguchi Prefecture and both will be tasked with intercepting potential ballistic missiles from a hostile North Korea. The ministry also warned that citizens of both prefectures should “take measures so as not to affect the human body during deployment.”