According to the report, the Japanese authorities hope the contract will be signed in fiscal year 2023, which starts on April 1.
Hamada said that the government would purchase "all of the required quantity" of missiles in one go instead of several batches over several years, as was initially planned. A source in the ministry told the news agency that the planned amount of Tomahawks was around 500.
The announcement was made amid government plans to boost Japan’s "counterstrike capabilities" to be able to respond to the Chinese and North Korean threats in accordance with three key security documents adopted in December, the news agency said. Tomahawks with the range of 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles), which are capable of reaching the Chinese coast, will help Japan to maintain its missile potential until it develops its own weapon systems, according to the report.
Additionally, Tokyo intends to reach an agreement with Washington to start the deployment of missiles ahead of the schedule, which currently provides for fiscal 2026, the source said.
Japanese news agency reported that $1.6 billion will be allocated in the 2023 budget for the purchase of Tomahawks.
Last month, Japanese media reported that the government had decided to start developing cruise missiles with interchangeable warheads with a range of over 620 miles in the 2023 fiscal year.