Media: Japan considers joining US-led Golden Dome missile defence initiative

The Japanese government is weighing participation in the United States' ambitious Golden Dome missile defence project, an initiative recently unveiled by President Donald Trump, according to a report by the Japanese newspaper Nikkei.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba reportedly discussed Japan’s potential involvement in the initiative with Trump during a phone call in May.

The envisioned cooperation would centre on advanced missile interception technologies, with a focus on artificial intelligence and quantum computing for missile detection and tracking systems.

Japan’s role in the Golden Dome project could serve as a strategic asset in ongoing trade negotiations with Washington. As Nikkei notes, Tokyo's participation in defence equipment cooperation could help secure concessions from the US on tariffs, while simultaneously showcasing Japan’s commitment to regional security as a close American ally.

The report underscores that bolstering the United States’ missile defence capabilities would also enhance security in East Asia, a region where Japan faces similar threats to those confronting the US.

President Trump announced earlier this month that he had finalised a design for the $175 billion Golden Dome missile shield and had appointed U.S. Space Force General Michael Guetlein to lead the project, which he aims to complete by the end of his current presidential term in 2029.

The US Congressional Budget Office has projected that the total cost of the system could reach $831 billion over the next two decades.

Japan and the United States already share a history of collaboration in missile defence, including the co-development of interceptors capable of targeting warheads in outer space. The proposed Golden Dome partnership would mark a significant expansion of that defence cooperation.

By Tamilla Hasanova