RT.com
02 Jun 2023, 00:17 GMT+10
Ties between Tokyo and Washington need to be strengthened further, Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada says
Japan and the US are in discussions on joining forces to develop interceptors capable of shooting down hypersonic weapons, Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada has said.
Hamada made the announcement at a press conference after talks with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Tokyo on Thursday.
"Regarding defense equipment and technology cooperation, we've agreed to deepen cooperation and to advance discussions on unmanned aerial vehicles as well as the possibility of joint development in the future of an interceptor to counter hypersonic technology," he said.
Japan and the US will "cooperate more than ever" in view of continued missile tests by North Korea, Russia's military operation in Ukraine and challenges posed by China, Hamada stressed. He also suggested that both Tokyo and Washington further improve their ties with South Korea.
Austin confirmed that the US and Japan were "working together on advanced technologies including hypersonics, autonomous systems for teaming with fighter jets and advanced air defense systems."
The allies have been increasing cooperation between their defense supply chains and industrial bases, he said.
According to Austin, Washington and Tokyo have already "made impressive progress together," but the alliance will need to be stronger in future.
Analysts, including in the West, have said the US and its allies are behind Russia and China when it comes to hypersonic weapons, which are believed to be beyond the reach of existing defense systems due to their extreme speed and high maneuverability.
Washington is only at the testing phase for such technology, with the latest launch as part of the Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) program in late March ending in what an Air Force spokesperson described as "not a success."
Russia has developed several hypersonic systems for its military in recent years, including the Avangard glider, which is fitted on silo-based ICBMs, and Zircon missiles, to be used by the Navy, as well as air-launched Kinzhal hypersonic missiles.
READ MORE: Patriot missile base in Kiev destroyed by hypersonic strike ? Moscow
Moscow has occasionally deployed Kinzhals in the conflict in Ukraine since last March. Russia's Defense Ministry said in mid-May that it used the hypersonic missile to deliver significant damage to a US-supplied Patriot air defense system stationed in Kiev.
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of Japan Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Japan Herald.
More InformationCANBERRA, Australia: As the first step in its efforts to curb the growing popularity of nicotine-filled devices with young people, ...
MOSCOW, Russia: Russia's trade in oil with India, one of the most lucrative oil trade routes since the imposition of ...
LONDON - Health experts and tobacco campaigners have strongly criticized New Zealand's decision to repeal laws that aimed to ban ...
NAYPYIDAW, Myanmar: Kyar Win, spokesperson for the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, which launched a surprise offensive last month against ...
(Photo credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports) Sophia Smith scored early in a rare start at center forward and the U.S. ...
manila, Philippines - Evacuations were underway in the Philippines after a quake of at least magnitude 7.5 struck the southern ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: This week, the White House said that Senior Biden administration officials met with the makers of respiratory syncytial ...
CHEYENNE, Wyoming: This week, the Biden administration raised US$3.4 million from a sale of oil and gas drilling rights in ...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks extended their rally on Friday despite remarks by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell ...
MOSCOW, Russia: Russia's trade in oil with India, one of the most lucrative oil trade routes since the imposition of ...
LONDON - Health experts and tobacco campaigners have strongly criticized New Zealand's decision to repeal laws that aimed to ban ...
NEW YORK, New York - The Dow Jones index was the standout on U.S. financial markets on Thursday with a ...