U.S. President Donald Trump talks about the 'Golden Dome' missile-defense project in the Oval Office on May 20, 2025. Credit - Chip Somodevilla—Getty Images After Japan's Prime MinisterShigeru Ishiba, who came to power in September, met with U.S. President Donald Trump for the first time in February, the two leaders issued ajoint statementpromising to pursue "a new golden age" for U.S.-Japan relations. The statement included commitments to cooperate on economic growth, security, and space. Then Trumpimposed heavy tariffs on the entire world, including Japan, throwing that commitment to cooperation into question. Now, however, it seems there may be a way for the two countries to get back on track toward that pursuit of a golden era. Japan, according to areportthis week in Japanese financial newspaper theNikkei, is "exploring support" for Trump's so-called"Golden Dome"project—a massive missile-defense system modeled after Israel's Iron Dome and consisting of a network of satellites, sensors, and interceptors to prevent aerial attacks on the U.S. mainland. Trump promised that the system, which is estimated to cost hundreds of billions if not trillions of dollars, will be operational by the end of his term in 2029. The report comes after Trump and Ishiba spoke for over an hour across two phone calls last month in which they "exchanged their views on diplomatic and security challenges" and "had a constructive dialogue that will further advance Japan-U.S. cooperation in a wide range of fields, including foreign affairs and security as well as the economy." In astatementabout the second call on May 29, Ishiba said he wouldn't comment on the specifics of his discussion with Trump but said "we had a truly candid exchange of views that resulted in each of us further deepening our understanding of the other's stance. I intend to continue to work together with President Trump to further reinforce the Japan-U.S. alliance and our cooperative relationship, as well as to deepen our relations, through which will be able to play a greater role in fostering world peace, stability, and prosperity." Here's what to know. Facing increasing regional threats, Japan has in recent years ramped up its national security investments, sinceformer Prime Minister Fumio Kishidain December 2022 unveiled the country's biggest military buildup since World War II, raising its defense budget to be the third-largest in the world, after the U.S. and China. At the same time, the world's third-largest economy has faced ademographic crisisthat by necessity hasspurred technological innovation, includingmaking strides inareas such as AI, robotics, andspace—all of which are vital to defense. In itsrecord $55 billion defense budget for 2025, Japan earmarked about $6 billion for a "standoff" defense system that includes long-range missiles and a satellite network. Tokyo has also ramped up cooperation with Washington, its only official treaty ally, pledging more than $3 billion this year to purchase missile interceptors and a mobile reconnaissance radar for Okinawa, which hosts a large presence of U.S. military bases. As Japan makes space surveillance and security apriority—in fiscal year 2026, it plans to launch its first "space domain awareness" satellite—the U.S. Space Force, which has been tasked withleadingthe development of Trump's "Golden Dome," has called the country one of its "closest allies." "I believe what you see from the United States is a recognition that throughout our history, we don't go it alone when deterring conflict," U.S. Space Force Lt. Gen. David N. Miller Jr. said during a visit to Japan in February. "We have found willing and abiding partnerships as fundamental to our ability to deter and ultimately, if necessary, defeat threats and deal with any crises that evolves." The U.S. and Japan should collaborate on missile warning and missile defense, Steve Jordan Tomaszewski, vice president of space systems at the Aerospace Industries Association, said during a Center for Strategic and International Studies event in April,National Defensemagazinereported. "Golden Dome could be a golden opportunity for collaboration at the end of the day." It's not just defense, however, that is the bedrock of cooperation between the two countries. "Economic security is another area that has become increasingly important in the U.S.-Japan alliance," according to apolicy memoby the Stimson Center, a Washington-based nonpartisan think-tank. While collaboration on Trump's "Golden Dome" may help to provide some security assurances to Japan, which is geographically closer to adversaries like North Korea, China, and Russia—all of which havecriticized the missile-defense projectfor escalating a global arms race—according to theNikkeireport, Japan may try to use participation in the project as a "bargaining chip" intrade talks. Read More:Trump Offers Canada Free 'Golden Dome' Protection to Become 51st U.S. State Japan, which is a highly import-and-export-relianteconomy, has urged Trump to lower or altogether nix his tariffs on the country, which include a 25% levy on automotive parts as well as a 24% "reciprocal" tariff,temporarily reducedto 10%until July 8. According toReuters, the Trump Administration has asked countries to give their best offers in negotiations over the tariffs by Wednesday, June 4. After his latest call with Trump, Ishiba said Japan's position on the tariffs has remained unmoved: "The Japanese side has consistently advocated for 'investment rather than tariffs' all along. By making investments in the U.S., we will generate employment in the United States while also leveraging Japan-U.S. cooperation to create better products. Japan's calls to make what can be called a 'win-win' relationship have not changed in the slightest." Contact usatletters@time.com.
