Overview
- Yomiuri and Reuters, citing unnamed Japanese government sources, report Tokyo will inform Washington next week of its intent to participate, with formal confirmation expected at the summit.
- Pentagon leaders have billed Golden Dome as a next‑generation shield using space‑based interceptors and sensors to defend the continental United States from aerial attacks.
- Japan and the U.S. are already pursuing glide‑phase interceptors aimed at countering hypersonic glide vehicles, with completion targeted in the 2030s, according to the reports.
- Tokyo plans a national satellite constellation to detect and track moving targets by the end of March 2028, with launches beginning in stages from April.
- Parts of the system are envisioned to begin operating before January 2029, and Japan expects possible U.S. requests to co‑develop or produce missiles, Reuters reports.