U.S., Japan OK ‘Star Wars’ Pact

WASHINGTON —  The United States and Japan signed an agreement with secret protocols today for Japanese industry to participate in researching a “Star Wars” missile defense, the Pentagon said.

Japan became the fifth U.S. ally to join in the Strategic Defense Initiative, as “Star Wars” is known officially, after Britain, West Germany, Italy and Israel. “Classified arrangements” in the pact cover information security, technology transfer and rights to use research results, the Pentagon said.