TOKYO – Japan's Ministry of Defense announced on Friday that it will accelerate its plan to deploy domestically produced long-range missiles, moving the timeline up by a year as it rapidly moves to bolster its counterstrike capabilities in response to growing regional security challenges.
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| FILE - In this photo provided by the Australian Department of Defense, a Japanese Type 12 surface-to-ship missile is launched by the Second Artillery Brigade of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force at Beecroft Weapons Range near Jervis Bay, Australia, on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, as part of Talisman Sabre, a biennial joint exercise involving 19 nations and 35,000 military personnel. (PTE Alex Brown/Australian Department of Defense via AP) |
The accelerated schedule will see the first batch of the upgraded, ground-launched Type-12 surface-to-ship missile installed at the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's (JGSDF) Camp Kengun in Kumamoto prefecture, southwestern Japan, by March 2026. The advanced missile has a strike range of approximately 1,000 kilometers (620 miles), giving Japan a significant stand-off capability.
This move is part of a broader effort by Tokyo to build a more assertive and self-reliant military to deter potential aggressors, primarily driven by China's increasingly bold naval activities in regional waters. In a notable incident this past June, Japan observed two Chinese aircraft carriers operating almost simultaneously near its southern islands for the first time. The nation also remains on high alert due to heightened tensions stemming from North Korea's continued weapons development and Russia's military posture in the region.
These efforts mark a historic shift for the nation. Under its post-World War II pacifist constitution, Japan has traditionally limited its use of force to self-defense only. However, the country took a major step away from this doctrine in 2022 with the adoption of a new five-year security strategy. This strategy explicitly names China as its "greatest strategic challenge" and calls for a more robust Japan-U.S. alliance, granting the Japan Self-Defense Forces more offensive roles for the first time.
Backing this strategic pivot is a substantial financial commitment. Japan is on track to double its military spending to 2% of its GDP by 2027, up from the previous level of around 1%. This increase comes amid sustained pressure from its treaty ally, the United States, to take on a greater share of the security burden.
The announcement of the accelerated missile deployment coincides with the Defense Ministry's request for a record 8.8 trillion yen ($59.9 billion) for the 2026 fiscal year. This budget is sharply focused on acquiring and developing long-range missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to counter threats from China, North Korea, and Russia.
While its domestically produced missiles are still under development, Japan is taking interim steps to bridge the capability gap. It is scheduled to deploy U.S.-developed Tomahawk cruise missiles later this year.
Furthermore, the ministry is seeking to deploy a wide range of aerial, surface, and underwater drones for surveillance and reconnaissance missions to protect Japan's extensive coastline. This turn toward unmanned technology is also a pragmatic response to a pressing domestic issue: a severe personnel shortage in the military, a consequence of Japan's aging and declining population.
