Japanese defence contractors, such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries, are itching to expand co-operation in other military areas as well.

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An employee at Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries, one of Japan's oldest shipbuilders, he is responsible for bending a precise curve into the giant steel plates that make up the hulls of seagoing ships.

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Japan is also working on a new rocket engine using composite materials from Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries and the first infrared seekers, made by Fujitsu, that can see in two colors to distinguish decoys from warheads.

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Japan is also working on a new rocket engine using composite materials (Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries), the first infrared seekers (Fujitsu) to see in two colors to distinguish decoys from warheads, and a kinetic warhead that rams into missiles directly rather than exploding nearby.

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