US and Japan Agree to Establish Joint Missile Assembly Facility in Japan
What Happened
The United States and Japan agreed on October 28, 2026, to establish a final assembly and inspection facility in Japan for Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM). Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced the agreement after meeting US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth in Cebu, Philippines. The initiative forms part of Operation Supercharge, aimed at expanding bilateral defence production cooperation.
Key Takeaways
The agreement expands US-Japan cooperation in missile manufacturing and supports their efforts to strengthen defence capabilities. The facility's location, investment amount and production timeline have not been publicly confirmed.