Japan ready to join Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’: Report
The Straits Times
The aim is for the allies to jointly develop a counterforce to hypersonic glide vehicles pursued by China and Russia. Read more at straitstimes.com.
TOKYO – Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is expected to announce Tokyo’s participation in the “Golden Dome” US missile defence system when she meets US President Donald Trump next week, a report said on March 13.
Billed as a next-generation missile defence shield, the Golden Dome for America “will progressively protect our nation from aerial attacks from any foe”, including through space-based interceptors and sensors, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said in 2025.
Citing several unnamed government sources, Japan’s Yomiuri daily said Ms Takaichi is expected to discuss the initiative with Mr Trump during their planned March 19 meeting in Washington, and convey to him Japan’s intention to join.
The aim is for the allies to jointly develop interceptors and a satellite network as a counterforce to hypersonic glide vehicles (HGV) pursued by China and Russia, the newspaper said.
The HGVs are said to be capable of flying at a speed of at least Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound.
By participating in the Golden Dome initiative, Japan wants to boost its own self-defence capabilities, the Yomiuri said.
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