US Approves Major Long-Range Missile Deal for Japan

(Patria) - The United States approved Japan's request to purchase 400 Tomahawk missiles on Friday, AFP reported.

The State Department said it is approving a $2.35 billion sale that includes two types of Tomahawk missiles, which have a range of 1,600 kilometers.

The State Department stated that the purpose of the sale was to "enhance the security of a key ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific region".

The sale will "enhance Japan's ability to face current and future threats by acquiring... a conventional, long-range, ground-launched, stand-off weapon system... that can neutralize growing threats," the statement said.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told a parliamentary committee in February that his government was seeking 400 Tomahawk missiles as part of a major defense effort. Japan has been alarmed by China's growing military influence, including Beijing's drills around Taiwan, as well as North Korea's nuclear and missile tests.