Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Japan’s Ministry of Defense on Thursday announced plans to acquire missiles to “strengthen its stand-off defense capabilities in order to disrupt and defeat forces invading Japan.”

Japan says it wants to swiftly build up its “this capability” and is working towards the “prompt procurement of indigenous stand-off missiles.”

Standoff missiles or bombs are typically used against land- and sea-based targets in offensive operations and include cruise missiles, glide bombs and short-range ballistic missiles.

Japan’s Constitution forbids the country from offensive capabilities, stating: “The Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes. Land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained.”

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party has considered renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution although the public is largely against such a move.

The Ministry of Defense issued a statement that said: “We are pleased to announce that we have concluded a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for the acquisition of Tomahawk missiles and related equipment with the United States Government under a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) agreement, which was signed at the Ministry of Defense on Thursday, January 18, 2024.”

The deal was overseen by Japan Defense Minister KIHARA Minora and US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel.

Separately, the Ministry of Defense is planning to acquire JSM (Joint Strike Missiles) manufactured by Norway’s Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace, Ltd., for delivery in 2026.