The State Department has approved a potential $200 million foreign military sale to Japan for support services related to the country's Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile (HVGP) program, a move that strengthens U.S.-Japan defense ties as Tokyo pushes forward with its next-generation, precision-strike capability.
The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced today it had notified Congress of the potential sale, which includes test preparation, transportation and coordination meetings in the U.S. and Japan. The deal, which covers support for Japan’s domestically developed HVGP, is intended to enhance Tokyo’s ability to defend remote islands amid increasing regional tensions.
“The proposed sale will improve Japan’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing defense for remote islands,” DSCA said in a statement. “Japan will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment and services into its armed forces.”
The approval comes as Japan accelerates its HVGP program, first disclosed in the country’s 2018 Defense of Japan white paper. That document outlined the emerging role of hypersonic weapons in Japan’s security strategy, citing concerns over threats from China and North Korea. The HVGP system, which consists of a solid-fuel rocket booster that deploys a maneuverable glider, is designed to penetrate advanced air defense systems and strike high-value targets at long ranges.
Japan’s decision to pursue HVGP technology aligns with its broader shift toward bolstering its deterrence capabilities. In 2020, Tokyo unveiled a phased development roadmap for HVGP with Block 1 designed for island defense and a more advanced Block 2 variant incorporating enhanced speed and terminal guidance. Japan’s 2023 National Defense Strategy reaffirmed the importance of hypersonic systems, underscoring plans to deploy the first iteration by the late 2020s.
The U.S. has played a supporting role in Japan’s hypersonic ambitions.
As part of an expanded security partnership, Washington and Tokyo have strengthened cooperation on advanced weapons technologies including long-range fires, missile defense and space-based capabilities.
While Japan’s HVGP remains an indigenous effort, the U.S. and Japan have engaged in knowledge-sharing on hypersonic research, a collaboration reinforced in bilateral meetings following the 2023 U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee discussions.
Monday’s announcement follows a broader pattern of deepening U.S.-Japan defense ties. Over the past year, the two nations have pursued closer alignment on joint force posture, emerging technologies and integrated deterrence strategies, particularly in the Indo-Pacific.