US, Japan to Build Missile Plant in Japan for F-35 Jets

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced on Wednesday night that the United States and Japan will construct a joint facility in Japan to produce advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles. The project, designated as Operation Supercharge, will include a final assembly and inspection plant for the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, known as AMRAAM. Koizumi stated that these missiles are essential for the F-35 fighter jets, which are used by both the U.S. and Japanese militaries. The F-35 is currently considered one of the most advanced aircraft in the world.

The announcement took place during a brief meeting between Koizumi and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the central Philippine province of Cebu. The two officials were attending an annual gathering of Southeast Asian defense chiefs and their counterparts from major Asian and Western nations. Koizumi said he and Hegseth shared a sense of crisis regarding the regional situation. They agreed to strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance with greater speed and intensity than before. The ministers also reaffirmed the importance of a free and open international order based on the rule of law.

Koizumi expressed concern on Thursday about increased naval activity by China in the southwestern part of Japan. He reported that three Chinese destroyers and a coast guard ship crossed the Osumi Strait south of Kyushu and headed east to the Pacific Ocean earlier this week. Koizumi noted that his ministry had not previously observed such a fleet configuration. He described the incident as an example of the challenging security environment in the region. His ministry plans to monitor Chinese activity closely. Japan has been accelerating military buildup in southwestern Japan to deter Chinese actions.

Hegseth addressed ASEAN defense ministers in a separate session on Wednesday. The group was led by Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. Hegseth described the U.S. approach as strong, quiet, and clear. He explained that the strategy is strong enough to deter coercion and aggression while remaining quiet enough to avoid needless escalation. He emphasized that the message is clear enough for friends, partners, and potential adversaries to understand where the United States stands. Hegseth assured the Philippines, Washington's oldest treaty ally in Asia, that the administration will build robust deterrence against actions in the disputed South China Sea.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles also spoke in Cebu on Wednesday. He stated that Australian forces and allies will continue efforts to defend the rule of law despite increasing assertiveness from China. Marles referenced an incident last year where a Chinese J-16 fighter released flares and passed within 30 meters of an Australian P-8 Poseidon surveillance jet over disputed waters. He told The Associated Press that this event does not deter Australia from asserting the rules-based order in the Pacific. He added that freedom of navigation on the high seas is profoundly important for Australia.

The annual meetings aim to avert major regional conflict and strengthen defense cooperation. However, the U.S., China, and their allies have often traded criticisms on the sidelines. Confrontations have escalated between Chinese and Philippine coast guard and navy vessels in disputed shoals. Washington has stated it is obligated to defend the Philippines if Filipino forces come under armed attack. Beijing and Tokyo also have a separate dispute over Japanese-controlled islands in the East China Sea. Both sides frequently accuse each other of infringing on maritime territory.

The South China Sea is a key global trade route. Beijing claims virtually the entire waterway. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan also have overlapping claims in the region. The new missile production facility represents a specific step in the alliance's industrial cooperation. Koizumi and Hegseth did not name China in their public remarks about security concerns, though the context of their meeting involved discussions about the region's dynamics. The defense chiefs left Cebu following the sessions.