Japan Funds Production of Hypersonic Missiles for 2026

Japan has allocated funding for the hypersonic missile production in its 2026 defense budget.

Details of the funding allocation were published in the 2026 defense budget.

The cost of the priority procurement contract is JPY 3.1 billion (about $19.8 million). The document allows for additional funding during the 2026 fiscal year, which begins on April 1.

Japan’s Ministry of Defense said missile production had originally been scheduled for 2031 but was brought forward to 2026 due to what it described as a growing threat from China.

Following interim research results achieved since 2023, Japan is moving ahead with production of the first serial units. The full development cycle is expected to be completed in stages by 2030. Specialists are currently estimating the unit cost of the missile and its life-cycle support expenses.

At the same time, JPY 73.2 billion (about $467 million) has been allocated for continued development and improvement of the missiles. An additional JPY 162.6 billion (about $1.04 billion) has been earmarked to scale up serial production.

The new hypersonic missile is being developed as part of Japan’s counterstrike capability. Its guidance systems are designed for both anti-ship missions and strikes against ground targets.

The missile’s official range has not been disclosed. However, official documents indicate it will be launched using the first stage of the HVGP Block 2 ballistic missile, which has a reported range of around 3,000 kilometers.

The system is expected to be deployed primarily from mobile launchers, with further upgrades planned for aircraft and naval platforms.
Under its five-year defense buildup program for 2023-2027, Japan aims to acquire modern long-range strike capabilities.

One such capability is the Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile (HVGP) system. The first production version, Block 1, is scheduled to enter service with Ground Self-Defense Force units in 2026. The Japanese military is currently conducting operational trials of the domestically developed system.

During testing, the HVGP launcher was loaded onto a Maritime Self-Defense Force vessel and a C-2 transport aircraft operated by the Air Self-Defense Force, allowing evaluation of deployment procedures across different transport platforms.

Crews also practiced launch, reload and operation of the system in low-temperature conditions.