Japan eyes role in US 'Golden Dome' missile defense at Trump summit

2026-03-18 - 09:10

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is considering seeking collaboration on the US "Golden Dome" next-generation missile defense system during her upcoming meeting with President Donald Trump, government sources told Kyodo News. The Thursday summit at the White House marks Takaichi's first visit to Washington since taking office last year, with a broad agenda encompassing security cooperation, energy security, and economic partnership . Missile Defense Collaboration The Golden Dome system, unveiled by Trump in May 2025, aims to detect and destroy hypersonic missiles—capable of exceeding five times the speed of sound—during mid-flight in outer space, with an estimated total cost of $175 billion . Japan and the US already agreed in 2023 to jointly develop a new interceptor missile for hypersonic weapons, with deployment targeted for the 2030s on Aegis destroyers from both navies. The US military is developing a "satellite constellation" for high-accuracy missile detection, and Japan's Defense Ministry seeks information-sharing on space-based projectile tracking technologies . Energy and Economic Cooperation Beyond defense, Takaichi plans to discuss purchasing crude oil from Alaska, highlighting Japan's vulnerability as approximately 90% of its oil supply depends on the Middle East . Transport from Alaska across the Pacific would shorten delivery times by nearly a week compared to Middle Eastern routes. The proposed energy cooperation falls under last year's Japan-US agreement for Tokyo to invest $550 billion in American projects across nine strategic sectors . A $100 million joint shipbuilding project is also expected to receive approval, building on a bilateral shipbuilding memorandum signed in 2025 . Balancing Pressures The summit comes as Japan navigates complex pressures following Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for US-Israeli attacks. Trump has publicly noted that "Japan's dependence on the Strait of Hormuz is 95%" . Takaichi faces legal constraints on potential Self-Defense Forces deployment, telling Diet sessions she has "no intention of conducting a legal assessment of US strikes" and emphasizing diplomacy that "puts national interests first" . Options being considered include post-conflict mine clearance, where Japan possesses world-class capabilities demonstrated during the 1991 Gulf War . The delayed US-China summit adds further stakes to the meeting, with analysts suggesting Takaichi may find herself on the defensive as Trump seeks to secure allied support amid the expanding Middle East conflict .