Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is expected to announce Japan’s intention to participate in the U.S. missile defense system known as the “Golden Dome” during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump next week in Washington, D.C..
According to a report by the Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun, Takaichi is expected to discuss the project with Trump during their scheduled meeting on March 19 and express Tokyo’s readiness to join the defense initiative.
The “Golden Dome” is presented as a new missile defense system designed to protect national territory from potential aerial and missile attacks. According to the United States Department of Defense, part of the system will include interceptors deployed in space to counter emerging threats.
The plan envisions cooperation between the United States and Japan in developing interceptor weapons and a satellite network capable of neutralizing Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGVs)—advanced weapons currently being developed by China and Russia.
These systems can reach speeds exceeding Mach 5, roughly 5,960 kilometers per hour, making them significantly more difficult to intercept using traditional missile defense systems.
According to the report, joining the “Golden Dome” initiative would allow Japan to significantly strengthen its defensive capabilities at a time when the regional security environment is becoming increasingly complex.
In recent years, Tokyo has gradually moved away from some of its traditional post–World War II pacifist policies, seeking to develop “counterstrike” capabilities and significantly increase military spending.
In December, the government led by Takaichi approved a record defense budget for the fiscal year starting April 1, allocating about 9 trillion yen (approximately €49 billion) for defense expenditures.
