US Tomahawk cruise missiles (Cliff)

The Japanese government is considering purchasing US-made Tomahawk cruise missiles, as per the NHK broadcaster.

Tokyo is considering using Tomahawk missiles as a deterrent and an alternative to Standoff missiles. Tomahawks can hit targets from over 1,000 kilometers (620 miles), threatening parts of China and Russia.

Because US forces have been using Tomahawk missiles in operations for a long time, Tokyo regards them as highly reliable, as per the report.

The same report stressed that the Japanese government is expected to work closely with the ruling parties and the US to sign the deal.

Tokyo is reportedly modernizing its Ground Self-Defense Force's Type-12 Surface-to-Ship Missile System and plans to begin large-scale production of these "standoff" missiles in the fiscal year 2026 or later, the report added.

Tokyo also intends to strengthen the Self-Defense Forces' capability for mass transportation of military personnel and supplies. As a result, the government is considering increasing the number of contracted civilian ships from two to six.

On September 1, the Japanese Defense Ministry declared a record-high military budget request for 2023 of nearly 5.6 trillion yen ($41.4 billion). This sum only contains the costs that the ministry was prepared to disclose. According to experts and the media, the actual requested budget is 6.5 trillion yen. Japan's defense budget for 2022 is also a record high of 5.4 trillion yen.

The undisclosed portion of the budget includes "standoff" missiles with a development budget of more than 30 billion yen - the most expensive item in this year's budget, as per media reports.

Tokyo is eyeing its biggest arms buildup since World War Two, intensifying tensions with China, while increasing its coordination with the West in the Asia Pacific region.