Could US Tomahawk missile delivery delays slow Japan’s long-range strike plans?

AdvertisementJapanThis Week in AsiaPoliticsCould US Tomahawk missile delivery delays slow Japan’s long-range strike plans?

Analysts said any delay could hinder Tokyo’s defence build-up but also open the door for Japanese firms to produce more US-designed weapons

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Julian RyallPublished: 8:00am, 26 May 2026A reported US delay in delivering hundreds of Tomahawk cruise missiles could slow Japan’s plans to give its military a long-range strike option, analysts said, exposing a potential gap between Tokyo’s new defence ambitions and Washington’s ability to supply the weapons.

The missiles are central to Japan’s effort to build a counterstrike capability, giving it the ability to hit enemy bases if the country comes under threat, as Tokyo rethinks its defence posture in response to a more uncertain regional security environment.

But analysts said the setback, if confirmed, could also give Tokyo an opening to push for a bigger role in producing US-designed weapons, including through licensing deals with Japanese manufacturers.

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The Financial Times reported on Saturday that US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told his Japanese counterpart, Shinjiro Koizumi, in a phone call earlier this month that deliveries of up to 400 Tomahawk missiles could face delays of as long as two years.

The report said the delays were linked to US efforts to rebuild missile stockpiles after the heavy use of Tomahawks in military operations against Iran.

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The report followed an April 16 article in the Asahi newspaper that discussed “possible delivery delays” and quoted officials at Japan’s Ministry of Defence.

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