Japan has earmarked ¥3.1 billion in its 2026 defence budget to accelerate the development of a domestically produced hypersonic missile with a range of up to 3,000 kilometres, with implementation scheduled to begin in April 2026.
According to Japan’s Ministry of Defence, the programme timeline has been significantly advanced, bringing the start of production forward from 2031 to 2026. The decision reflects growing security concerns amid rising regional threats, particularly from China and North Korea.
The hypersonic missile programme, launched in 2023, has already entered an early serial phase, with the first production unit currently under manufacture. Full development is expected to be completed by 2030.
Designed to deliver high-precision strikes against both maritime and land-based targets, the missile will initially be deployed from mobile ground-based launch platforms. Future plans include expanding its operational flexibility by enabling air- and sea-launched variants, further strengthening Japan’s long-range deterrence and strike capabilities
