Japan Considers Purchasing Tomahawk


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Japan is reportedly considering purchasing Tomahawk cruise missiles from the Unites States. The Japanese government is reportedly considering putting the Tomahawks on Japan’s Aegis-capable guided missile destroyers in its Maritime Self-Defense Force fleet, although the ships will require modification in order to do so. Despite the Japanese constitution prescribing an exclusively defensive posture, the growing threat of North Korea has forced the Japanese government to rethink how it interprets defense. Later this month, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party is expected to propose recommendations on how best to improve Japan’s defense, which may include Japan acquiring strike capabilities such as Tomahawk.

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Missile Defense Project, "Japan Considers Purchasing Tomahawk," Missile Threat, Center for Strategic and International Studies, May 11, 2017, last modified June 15, 2018, https://missilethreat.csis.org/japan-considers-purchasing-tomahawk/.