Hegseth, Koizumi agree to produce air-to-air missiles in Japan to boost weapons output

U.S. and Japan will jointly produce air-to-air missiles in Japan for F-35 fighters, boosting allied defense manufacturing and deterrence amid China’s military buildup.

U.S. and Japan will jointly produce air-to-air missiles in Japan, boosting allied defense manufacturing and deterrence amid China’s military buildup. An AIM-424 Long Range Air-to-Air Missile is mounted in the internal weapons bay of an F-35C Lighting II fighter with an AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile mounted on the weapon bay door. (U.S. Navy) TOKYO — The United States and Japan have agreed to establish a factory in Japan to produce air-to-air missiles carried by F-35 Lightning II fighters, part of an effort to expand weapons production as China builds up its military. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi reached the agreement Wednesday during a meeting in Cebu, Philippines, according to a summary released by Japan’s Defense Ministry.

Airmen secure an AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile during a weapons-loading competition at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., April 4, 2025. (Tekorey Watkins/U.S. Air Force) The facility will produce Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles, or AMRAAMs, used by fighter aircraft to engage airborne targets. The two countries also agreed to share technical information to increase production of Standard Missile-3, or SM-3, interceptors carried by warships to defend against ballistic missiles, according to the ministry. “This is a groundbreaking agreement that will not only ensure the acquisition of equipment needed by Japan and the United States, but will