US, Japan Agree to Joint AMRAAM Missile Assembly in Japan

The United States and Japan have agreed to establish a facility in Japan for the final assembly and inspection of AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM), expanding bilateral defense industrial cooperation.

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced the agreement following talks with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on October 28 in Cebu, the Philippines, on the sidelines of a regional defense meeting.

The initiative forms part of Operation Supercharge, a bilateral effort to increase weapons production capacity and strengthen the supply chains supporting both countries' armed forces.

The AIM-120 AMRAAM is a radar-guided, beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile used by several US and allied fighter aircraft, including the F-35.

The planned Japanese facility will undertake final assembly and inspection work, rather than necessarily manufacturing every missile component domestically.

Officials have not announced the facility's location or an operational start date.

The agreement follows discussions dating back to 2024 on expanding missile production cooperation between the two allies.

Koizumi said the arrangement would strengthen Japan's defense industrial base while helping both countries secure essential military equipment.

The announcement came as Tokyo expressed concern about Chinese naval movements near southwestern Japan, including the passage of Chinese vessels through the Osumi Strait.

Washington and Tokyo have increasingly emphasized the importance of defense industrial cooperation as they seek to improve military readiness and sustain ammunition supplies across the Indo-Pacific.

The new facility would provide an additional assembly and inspection capability for AMRAAM missiles, although the project's production volume and timetable have yet to be disclosed.