Defense News:

Japan’s Defense Ministry announced Tuesday it has signed contracts worth nearly 380 billion yen (U.S. $3 billion) with the country’s top defense contractor, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, to develop and mass produce long-range missiles for deployment as early as 2026.

The news comes amid growing fears in Japan of China’s increasing military strength.

The ministry said the contracts include enhanced versions of Mitsubishi’s Type 12 missiles for surface, sea and air launches, as well as a hypersonic ballistic missile for the defense of remote islands.

Mass production of Type 12 land-to-ship guided missiles and hypersonic gliding missiles, which are already developed, will begin this year, the ministry said. Officials refused to provide the number of missiles that Japan plans to deploy but indicated that production is expected to gradually increase over the next five years.

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