Japan agrees deal with US to buy 400 Tomahawk cruise missiles

Japanese and US officials watch as the deal to buy 400 cruise missiles is signed (AP Photo/Mari Yamaguchi)

Japan signed a deal with the United States on Thursday to purchase up to 400 Tomahawk cruise missiles as part of its ongoing military build-up in response to increased regional threats.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s government has pledged to double its annual defence spending to about 10 trillion yen (£53 billion) by 2027, which would make Japan the world’s third-biggest military spender after the United States and China.