US and Japan Agree to Build Missile Plant in Japan Under Operation Supercharge
The United States and Japan will establish a missile production facility in Japan under an initiative called Operation Supercharge, building advanced air‑to‑air weapons for F‑35 fighters as part of a wider regional defense effort.
The United States and Japan have agreed to shift part of their weapons production into Japan itself, tying defense plans in the Indo‑Pacific to new industrial capacity on the ground.
During defense talks held in the Philippines, Washington and Tokyo announced an agreement to set up a missile production facility in Japan under an initiative called Operation Supercharge. The plant will manufacture advanced medium‑range air‑to‑air missiles used by F‑35 fighter jets, expanding the supply of high‑end munitions available to both countries in the region.
Locating the factory in Japan links the two allies’ defense industries in a way designed to support operations during a crisis. A production line closer to potential conflict zones reduces reliance on shipments from the U.S. mainland and can help maintain missile supplies if long supply routes come under pressure.
For Japan, the decision aligns with its investment in F‑35s and other advanced platforms. Securing a steady flow of their primary air‑to‑air weapons inside Japanese territory supports Tokyo’s efforts to strengthen its own air defenses within existing constitutional limits.
For the United States, the new plant spreads the load of weapons manufacturing across allies as its forces manage commitments in several regions. The war in Ukraine has already shown how quickly stockpiles of precision weapons can fall when fighting intensifies.
Announcing the agreement in the Philippines underscored Manila’s growing role in regional security cooperation with both Washington and Tokyo. It also signaled that the missile project is part of a broader network of defense arrangements in the Indo‑Pacific.
Advanced medium‑range air‑to‑air missiles are a core tool for F‑35s and other fighters, allowing them to engage targets at distance and shape control of the air in any conflict. Building them in Japan turns that capability into a more permanent feature of the regional security landscape.
Questions that will shape the project’s impact include where in Japan the facility will be located, how quickly it can begin production, and how Japanese politics responds to a new military‑linked factory on its territory. Regional reactions to the agreement will also indicate how other countries view this step in the evolving security environment.
Sources
- OSINT