Japan and US Agree to Build Joint AMRAAM Missile Plant

U.S. and Japanese officials agreed Wednesday to construct a joint facility in Japan for the final assembly and inspection of Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles. The plant will produce the specific missiles required for F-35 fighter jets, which both nations operate.

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced the deal during a news conference in Cebu, Philippines. He met there with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of an annual meeting of Southeast Asian defense chiefs. The agreement falls under a joint effort designated as Operation Supercharge. Koizumi stated the two sides agreed to build the AMRAAM plant in Japan to boost production capacity.

The ministers discussed the agreement against a backdrop of heightened tensions in the region. Koizumi reported that three Chinese destroyers and a coast guard ship crossed the Osumi Strait south of Kyushu this week. He described the fleet configuration as a first for his ministry and cited it as an example of the challenging security environment. Japan has accelerated military buildup in its southwestern areas to deter Chinese naval activity.

Koizumi said he shared a sense of crisis with Hegseth regarding the regional situation. The two leaders agreed to strengthen deterrence and response capabilities with greater speed and intensity. They reaffirmed the importance of a free and open international order based on the rule of law, which rejects unilateral attempts to alter the status quo through force or coercion.

Hegseth addressed ASEAN defense ministers in a separate session on Wednesday. He described the U.S. approach as strong, quiet, and clear. Hegseth stated the strategy is strong enough to deter coercion, quiet enough to avoid needless escalation, and clear enough for partners and adversaries to understand Washington's position. He did not name China in his remarks.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles also spoke on the rule of law in the Pacific. He noted that Australia protested last year after a Chinese fighter released flares within 100 feet of an Australian surveillance jet. Marles said freedom of navigation on the high seas remains profoundly important for Australia despite increasing Chinese assertiveness.

The next phase involves the physical construction of the AMRAAM plant in Japan. The facility will serve as a hub for the joint production of these medium-range air-to-air missiles under the Operation Supercharge framework.