US looking to Japan to buy TNT for Ukraine artillery: report

The U.S. is reportedly looking to buy TNT from Japan in an effort to boost the production of artillery shells for Ukraine ahead of an expected counteroffensive against Russian forces.

Tokyo has a policy not to provide lethal weapons overseas but is willing to make an exception for the shipment of TNT because it is not only a military-use product, Reuters reported.

If the deal goes through, the U.S. would plug a Japanese company that produces TNT into a supply chain delivering explosives to American munition production plants, according to Reuters, which cited a person familiar with the matter.

Once at production plants, TNT can then be fitted into 155 millimeter artillery shells.

The war in Ukraine has challenged U.S. defense production, as Ukrainian troops use up vast amounts of munitions, particularly 155 mm shells, in the conflict with Russia.

The Pentagon began significantly increasing spending on artillery shell production this year as it seeks a major overhaul of the process to better support Ukraine and prepare for a potential war with China.

Japan has yet to provide Ukraine with lethal weapons, so far only providing food, small drones and clothing for Kyiv, but this week Tokyo announced the donation of 100 military trucks for Ukrainian troops, according to The Associated Press.

The news comes after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with his counterpart in Tokyo this week, along with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other top-level officials in Japan.

At the meeting, the U.S. and Japan reaffirmed the long-standing alliance between the two nations and committed to ensuring the security of both nations, according to a Pentagon readout.

Austin also applauded Japan for moving to grow its defense spending and acquire counterstrike capabilities for the first time since World War II amid a challenging security environment with China and North Korea.