Japan's Military Buildup: Purchase of 400 Tomahawks Signals Major Step in Defense Expansion
Japan has taken a major step in its military buildup, signing a deal with the U.S. to buy 400 Tomahawk cruise missiles and doubling its annual defense spending.
Japan has taken a major step in its ongoing military buildup by signing a deal with the United States to purchase up to 400 Tomahawk cruise missiles. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government has pledged to double its annual defense spending to around 10 trillion yen ($68 billion) by 2027, which would make Japan the world’s third-biggest military spender after the United States and China. Defense Minister Minoru Kihara announced in December a decision to accelerate deployment of some Tomahawks and Japanese-made Type 12 surface-to-ship missiles beginning in fiscal year 2025, a year before the original plan.
Japan Military Buildup ‼️
— Vivek Singh (@VivekSi85847001) January 18, 2024
Japan Signed a deal with US to Buy 400 Tomahawk cruise Missiles as part of ongoing buildup in response to #China & #Russia 🇯🇵⚡🇨🇳🇷🇺
It will get 200 Block-4 & 200 Block-5 Missile with 1600Km Range to attack Chinese & Russian Naval Ships in any Conflict pic.twitter.com/2M6gdbyGUz
This acceleration comes in response to Japan facing its “severest security environment since World War II because of threats from China and North Korea, causing it to increase military cooperation with the U.S., Australia, Britain and other friendly nations. In November, the U.S. approved a $2.35 billion sale of two types of Tomahawks — 200 Block IV missiles and 200 upgraded Block V versions. They can be launched from warships and hit targets 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) away. The signing of the purchase agreement on Thursday was attended by Kihara and U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel.
Japan and the United States agreed to expedite the deployment “in response to the increasingly severe security environment,” Kihara said. Emanuel also stated that training of Japanese servicemembers for the Tomahawks will start in March. Late last year, Japan’s Cabinet eased a ban on exports of lethal weapons, allowing the sale of Japanese-made weapons and components made under license from other nations to those countries.
Under a new defense strategy adopted in December 2022, Japan has joined the United States, Australia, South Korea and many other regional partners “in an aligned vision of how to promote peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and meet the challenges head on, Emanuel said. The U.S. approach to its partnership with Japan is “one of ensuring deterrence and making sure there is no change in the region by military force, Emanuel said. He also lauded Japan's rapid move during that time to build up its military and strengthen its alliance with the U.S. to meet challenges in the region.
