Japan and US to build missile assembly plant in Japan
Japan and the United States have agreed to set up a Japanese facility for jointly producing advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles used on F-35 fighter jets, Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said at a news conference in Cebu, Philippines, on 28 Oct. The plant will be a final assembly and inspection site for the AMRAAM missile, under a joint effort called Operation Supercharge. Koizumi made the announcement after meeting US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of an annual gathering of Southeast Asian defence chiefs and their Asian and Western counterparts. Koizumi said the missiles are essential for the F-35 and that the talks were not aimed at any specific country. The facility's location has not been disclosed.
Key facts
- Japan is also exploring missile testing in India and Australia, according to the South China Morning Post.
- The move marks Japan's shift away from its post-war pacifist defence posture, per the South China Morning Post.
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Why it matters
The deal expands Japan's domestic production of air-to-air missiles, a shift from its post-war defence posture.
What changed
First published from ABC News (US), CNA, South China Morning Post, NPR and The Independent