Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced on Wednesday that the United States and Japan have agreed to the project for joint production of high-tech, missile-carrying aircraft in Japan.
It is an additional move to boost defence ties between the two allies, who have raised their concerns of China’s military assertiveness in Asia on several occasions.
Operation Supercharge Announced
Making the announcement at a news conference in Cebu, Philippines, side by side with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth during the annual conference of Southeast Asian defence leaders and their counterparts from abroad.
The twin missile-manufacturing plan, dubbed Operation Supercharge, will target missiles dubbed by Koizumi as “essential to the F-35 fighter planes.” But he declined to provide more information on the deal, such as the site’s production capacity or where the plant may be located.
The American-made F-35 is one of the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world, and the Japanese military also uses it.
Allies Seek Stronger Regional Deterrence
After meeting with Hegseth, Koizumi indicated that they had concerns over security threats in the region, which are growing in severity. They had also agreed to speed up and accelerate the enhancement of the deterrence and response capacity of the Japan-US alliance.
The US and Japan also reaffirmed their mutual support for a ‘free and open international order’,’based on the rule of law’. They opposed attempts to change the existing situation unilaterally through force, coercion or other means.
Koizumi said, however, that their talks were not focused on any country in particular.
The deal comes as the region’s security threats have climbed, with the United States and Tokyo developing joint military capabilities and boosting regional cooperation to face future dangers in the Indo-Pacific all while the two allies are considering joining forces on the Navy.