Japan to develop 3,000 km long-range missiles

The government is looking to deploy a 2,000-km range missile by the early 2030s and a 3,000-km hypersonic missile that can reach anywhere in North Korea and some parts of China by around 2035, Kyodo news reported on Saturday, citing a source familiar with the matter.

Japan this month unveiled its biggest military build-up since World War Two with a $320 billion plan that will buy missiles capable of targeting China and ready it for sustained conflict.

The Japanese cabinet has previously passed laws that made extensive and important changes in the country's military strategy. Japan will boost its defense budget for 2023 to a record 6.8 trillion yen ($55bn), or a 20-percent increase, in the face of regional security concerns.

MP/PR