Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya apologized Wednesday to Yamaguchi Gov. Tsugumasa Muraoka over a mistake in a geographical survey conducted by the ministry that was used to select the prefecture as a candidate site for a U.S.-developed missile defense system.
"We'll conduct the survey again and offer an explanation in detail," Iwaya told Muraoka at the prefectural office.
A Ground Self-Defense Force training area in Yamaguchi has been listed as one of two sites considered suitable to host the land-based Aegis Ashore system to counter the threat of North Korean missiles.