Japan plans to invest $66Mn in JNAAM missile development project.

According to the document, the "conformity with other guided missiles equipping the fighter jet was verified through collaborative research between Japan and the United Kingdom".

As shown in the Japan MoD document, these future missile would equip the country's future F-35A fighter jets. It also confirms the aim of the project, which plans to integrate Japanese advanced electronically scanned seeker technologies with MBDA's Meteor Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile.

In January 2017, Japan and UK agreed to move forward with efforts to design a new Joint Air-to-Air Missile (JNAAM) based on MBDA's Meteor design. The Meteor has already been checked for fit in the internal weapon bays of the F-35.

"Japan is our closest security partner in Asia and I want to significantly deepen defence cooperation between our two nations. We will do that through joint exercises, reciprocal access to our military bases, military personnel exchanges and cooperation on equipment, including a new air-to-air missile", said the UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon in January.