The Defense Ministry plans to develop hypersonic missiles with an ultimate range of 3,000 kilometers, aiming to deploy them in the first half of the 2030s, according to government officials.
Hypersonic missiles can fly on irregular trajectories at more than five times the speed of sound, making them difficult to intercept. In addition to defending Japanese territory, the ministry is also considering using the missiles for counterstrike purposes, to target enemy missile launch sites and other locations for self-defense purposes.
China and Russia are ahead of Japan in the development of hypersonic missiles, and Russian forces have deployed them in Ukraine. Japan's Defense Ministry has decided that it is necessary to accelerate development.
