The US has warned Japan to expect serious delays in the delivery of 400 Tomahawk missiles as the Pentagon prioritises rebuilding weapons stockpiles that have been severely depleted during its military campaign against Iran.

Axar.az informs, citing Financial Times, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth told Shinjiro Koizumi, his Japanese counterpart, about the delay in a call earlier this month, according to several people familiar with the discussions.

The interruption is a big blow to Japan, which ordered Tomahawks for the first time in 2024 to enhance deterrence against China. The missiles have a 1,600km range, giving Japan a “counterstrike” capability to hit coastal China. The $2.35bn deal came after Washington had increasingly urged its Asian ally to increase its defence spending.

The Pentagon decision comes as the US military scrambles to replenish stockpiles of missiles that were used in large numbers during Operation Epic Fury. The FT reported last month that Washington had already warned several European allies, including the UK and Poland, to expect significant delays in the delivery of weapons systems they have ordered from the US.

According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the US fired more than 1,000 Tomahawks out of an estimated prewar inventory of 3,100 during the five weeks of military operations against Iran.