US, Japan to establish joint missile facility

The United States and Japan have reached an agreement to establish a Japanese facility for jointly producing advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles, according to Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi. The facility will be part of a joint effort called "Operation Supercharge," which aims to produce missiles essential for the F-35 fighter jets used by both the US and Japanese militaries.

The announcement was made by Koizumi during a press conference in Cebu, Philippines, where he met with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Hegseth reiterated the Trump administration's commitment to deterring aggression in the region and strengthening the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-US alliance.