US and Japan Will Build Missile Plant in Japan

The United States and Japan will build a new facility in Japan to jointly produce advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles. Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced the agreement on Wednesday night in Cebu, Philippines.

The plant will serve as a final assembly and inspection site for the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM. The missiles are essential components for F-35 fighter jets, which are used by both the U.S. and Japanese militaries.

Koizumi made the statement during a news conference following a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The two leaders met on the sidelines of an annual gathering of Southeast Asian defense chiefs and their counterparts from major Asian and Western nations.

The initiative is part of a joint effort designated Operation Supercharge. The agreement aims to strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance. Koizumi said he and Hegseth agreed to pursue these goals with greater speed and intensity.

Koizumi described the regional security environment as increasingly severe. He stated that the two leaders shared a sense of crisis regarding the situation in the region. The ministers reaffirmed the importance of a free and open international order based on the rule of law.

The agreement comes as Japan accelerates its military buildup in southwestern areas to deter neighboring powers. Koizumi raised specific concerns about Chinese naval activity in southwestern Japan on Thursday.

He reported that three Chinese destroyers and a coast guard ship crossed the Osumi Strait south of Kyushu this week. The fleet headed east toward the Pacific Ocean. Koizumi said his ministry had not previously spotted such a fleet configuration in that area.

The defense chief called the incident an example illustrating the challenging security environment in the region. His ministry will continue to monitor Chinese activity closely. Japan has been increasing its defense capabilities in the area to maintain deterrence.

Hegseth addressed ASEAN defense ministers in a separate meeting on Wednesday. He did not name China but outlined the Trump administration's approach to regional security. He described the strategy as strong, quiet, and clear.

Hegseth said the approach is strong enough to deter coercion and aggression. It is quiet enough to avoid needless escalation or public theatrics. The message is clear enough for partners and potential adversaries to understand U.S. positions on defending its interests and those of its allies.

The U.S. has assured the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia, that it will build robust deterrence against Chinese actions in the disputed South China Sea. Beijing claims most of the waterway, a key global trade route. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan also have overlapping claims in the area.

Confrontations have escalated between Chinese and Philippine vessels in disputed shoals. Washington has warned it is obligated to defend the Philippines if Filipino forces come under armed attack. Australia also expressed commitment to defending the rule of law in the Pacific, citing recent close encounters with Chinese aircraft.