Japan mulls buying US-made Tomahawk cruise missiles

Japan is mulling purchasing US-made Tomahawk cruise missiles amid growing tensions in the region, local media reported on Friday.

Tokyo intends to purchase sea-launched Tomahawks with a range of up to 2,500 kilometers (1,553 miles) and the ability to travel relatively low to the ground, according to Kyodo News Agency.

However, an unnamed defense official told the agency that it all "depends on whether the United States will sell them."

On Oct. 4, North Korea fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile that flew over Japan for the first time in five years, prompting Tokyo to impose additional sanctions against Pyongyang.

Although Japan is working to extend the range of its Type-12 surface-to-ship guided missiles for the Ground Self-Defense Force, its indigenous missiles will not be in use until fiscal 2026, according to the agency.

On Wednesday, senior officials from the US, South Korea, and Japan met in Tokyo and agreed to strengthen deterrence against North Korea.

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun Dong, and Japan's Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori were also opposed to any attempt to change the status quo in the East and South China seas, it added.