Japanese defense industry stakeholders are growing hesitant over a potential U.S. Navy frigate deal, weighed down by heavy investment demands and domestic naval commitments.
Japan plans to field the supersonic ASM-3ER anti-ship missile in FY2027 with a new dual-role capability to target enemy AWACS and tankers at long range.
Japan’s JASDF has begun flight testing the air-launched variant of the Upgraded Type 12 anti-ship missile on an F-2 fighter, boasting a 1,000 km stand-off
On May 18, 2026, the Yomiuri Shimbun, one of Japan’s leading national newspapers, reported that the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) are considering equipping unmanned aerial
Japan began developing a domestically produced unmanned amphibious armored vehicle (AAV) in 2024, and materials recently disclosed by the Ministry of Defense have revealed its
The Zumwalt-class destroyers currently in service with the U.S. Navy could receive radar systems initially produced for the cancelled Constellation-class frigates. A Raytheon executive told
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) implemented a major organizational reform at the end of March 2026. As part of this restructuring, it established the
Japan is fielding new coastal defense missiles and actively developing new ones, including a hypersonic guided missile, in a push to increase its island defense
In December 2025, Japan responded in an unusual manner to activities conducted by Chinese Navy vessels in waters near Japan: JASDF F-2 fighters were observed
On 2 December 2025, a containerized prototype high-energy laser system was confirmed to be installed on the aft deck of JS Asuka, the test ship
