Japan plans to announce its intention to join the American missile defense project “Golden Dome”, a US-led initiative to strengthen protection against ballistic and hypersonic threats. The announcement would be made during the meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and US President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C. on March 19, according to Japanese government
sources.The “Golden Dome” program, introduced by the U.S. administration last year, seeks to expand existing defense systems using advanced technologies, including space-based capabilities to detect, track and eventually intercept enemy missiles from orbit. Although the project aims to achieve operational capacities by 2028, so far few details have been revealed about its progress and about the specific way in which Japan would participate
.According to Japanese media, Tokyo believes that the initiative could strengthen its defense against the development of hypersonic weapons by North Korea, China and Russia. These systems, capable of flying at extreme speeds and maneuvering in mid-flight, represent a growing challenge for traditional missile defense systems.
In addition to being integrated into the technological program, Japan anticipates that Washington could request your support to increase missile production. U.S. ammunition reserves have dwindled in recent years due to its military support for Ukraine following the Russian invasion of 2022 and the recent conflict in the Middle East involving Israel and Iran. In this context, the United States has asked its allies and the defense industry to accelerate the manufacture of weapons.
