Japan and the United States agreed to establish a facility for final assembly and inspection of AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, adding a production step to bilateral defense cooperation, Japan’s Ministry of Defense said.
The ministers also agreed to exchange technical information intended to help increase production of SM-3 Block IIA missiles, the ministry said. It did not say that SM-3 missiles would be produced at the AMRAAM facility.
Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth met in Cebu, Philippines, on Wednesday, Oct. 28. Their meeting lasted about 30 minutes, according to the ministry, and began at 8:30 p.m. ET on Oct. 27 (12:30 a.m. UTC on Oct. 28).
Koizumi followed up at the meeting on Operation Supercharge, which he proposed in May to speed cooperation on defense equipment and technology, the ministry said. His proposal included joint work to develop and produce missiles such as AMRAAM and SM-3 Block IIA.
The ministry described regional security pressures, including expanding nuclear and missile capabilities and efforts to reshape the regional order through coercion or force. Its summary did not name China. The Associated Press connected the cooperation to U.S.-Japan concerns about China’s assertiveness, while reporting that Koizumi said the talks were not directed at any specific country. AP also reported Koizumi called AMRAAM missiles “essential for the F-35.”
Japan’s ministry did not identify where in the country the facility would be built or provide its cost, timeline or expected capacity. It announced no next milestone.
