By NOBUHIKO TAJIMA/ Staff Writer
February 15, 2023 at 16:28 JST
A Tomahawk cruise missile launched from a U.S. Navy ship (Captured from U.S. Navy website)
Japan plans to order up to 500 Tomahawk cruise missiles from the United States in fiscal 2023 to bolster its defenses, including the ability to strike menacing enemy bases.
Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said on Feb. 14 that the expenses for the required Tomahawks will be covered in the budget proposal submitted to the current Diet session.
The government has earmarked 211.3 billion yen ($1.59 billion) in the budget plan for fiscal 2023, which starts in April, to buy Tomahawk missiles. The Defense Ministry aims to deploy them by March 2027.
Ministry officials said the costs to upgrade its Aegis-equipped destroyers and other projects for installation of the Tomahawks will come from the budgets for fiscal 2024 and beyond.
The ministry also plans to upgrade Type 12 surface-to-ship missiles to give them the capacity to strike enemy bases. The Japanese-made weapon is expected to be deployed in fiscal 2026 with an extended range of 1,000 kilometers.
However, the Type 12 project could be delayed.
The announced bulk purchase of Tomahawks reflects Tokyo’s aim to ensure a prompt upgrade of the nation’s defenses with the proven U.S. weapon.
The Tomahawk missile is a precision weapon that can be launched from ships and submarines and can hit targets about 1,610 km away, according to the manufacturer.
Massive spike in defense costs result in record ’23 budget pitch
December 24, 2022
Record defense budget includes funds to buy U.S. Tomahawks
December 20, 2022
Japan trying to run before it can walk on missile purchase choice
October 29, 2022
Japan moving to arm subs with domestic made cruise missiles
November 17, 2022
EDITORIAL: Wrong move to stay focused on expanding size of defense budget
December 10, 2022
Japan plans to upgrade defense for hypersonic missiles
August 22, 2022
Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors.
A peek through the music industry’s curtain at the producers who harnessed social media to help their idols go global.
Cooking experts, chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life.
A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry
A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II
