By Sohaib Shams
The United States and Japan have agreed to establish a production facility in Japan to jointly manufacture advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced Wednesday.
Missile Production Details
The joint effort, dubbed "Operation Supercharge," will set up a final assembly and inspection plant for the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), which is essential for the F-35 stealth fighters operated by both militaries.
Regional Security Concerns
Koizumi made the announcement during a news conference in Cebu, Philippines, after meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of an annual gathering of Southeast Asian defense chiefs. He highlighted increased Chinese naval activity near southwestern Japan, noting that three Chinese destroyers and a coast guard vessel recently transited the Osumi Strait for the first time in his ministry's records.
Strengthening Alliance Deterrence
Koizumi said the two sides shared a sense of crisis over the regional security environment and agreed to strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance with greater speed and intensity. He emphasized the importance of a free and open international order based on the rule of law.
U.S. Reassurances to Regional Partners
In a separate meeting with ASEAN defense ministers led by Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Hegseth outlined the U.S. approach as "strong, quiet and clear," pledging robust deterrence against coercion in the South China Sea. Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles affirmed that Australian forces would continue upholding international law despite Chinese actions in disputed waters.
Ongoing Territorial Disputes
Territorial claims in the South China Sea remain contested among several nations, with frequent standoffs involving Chinese and Philippine vessels. The U.S. maintains a treaty obligation to defend the Philippines if its forces come under armed attack, while Tokyo and Beijing remain locked in a maritime dispute over Japanese-controlled islands in the East China Sea.
