US and Japan agree to establish a Japanese facility for joint missile production

The announcement Wednesday is the latest action by the allies, who have repeatedly expressed alarm over China's growing assertiveness in Asia.

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5000x3333+0+0/resize/5000x3333!/quality/85/format/webp/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F04%2F54%2F8ac4fc1f4626be23c3b532cfb1ea%2Fap26301341519312.jpg' alt='From left, Philippines Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Australia Defense Minister Richard Marles, Japan Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and U.S.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth prepare to leave after posing for pictures before holding a Quadrilateral Meeting on the sidelines of the 20th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) and 13th ADMM-Plus Meetings in Cebu, Philippines, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026.'/><p>The announcement Wednesday is the latest action by the allies, who have repeatedly expressed alarm over China's growing assertiveness in Asia.</p><p>(Image credit: Rolex Dela Pena)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=g-s1-150666' />