 "The Type-12 land-to-ship missile launcher is shown at the Camp Kengun in the Kumamoto prefecture, western Japan, on March 17, 2026. AP")
Japan is deploying extensive long-range missiles at a southwestern army camp, the officials said on Tuesday to boost the country’s offensive capabilities.
The deployment of two types of extended-range missiles began on Tuesday and the move reflects rising threat perceptions from China and North Korea, alongside pressure from Washington for greater burden-sharing.
“As Japan faces the most severe and complex security environment in the postwar era … it is an extremely important capability to strengthen Japan’s deterrence and responsiveness,” Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told AP. “It demonstrates Japan’s firm determination and capability to defend itself.”
The upgraded Type-12 land-to-ship missiles, developed and produced by Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, became operational at Camp Kengun in Kumamoto prefecture.
The upgraded Type-12 missile has a range of about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles), a significant extension from the 200-kilometer (125-mile) range of the original that would allow it to reach mainland China.
The missiles give Japan a stand-off capacity
The deployment of the long-range missiles gives Japan a stand-off capability to strike the enemy missile basses from afar.
The country also started acquiring in March the Norwegian-made Joint Strike Missile, a cruise missile that has a range of about 500 kilometers and will be mounted on Air Self-Defense Force F-35A fighter jets.
Residents staged protest
Residents protested outside the Kengun camp, against the deployment and said it would escalate tensions and increase the risk of getting targeted by an enemy nation in future.
Japan rolled out a new weapons system designed for the island defence.
Japan also plans to deploy U.S.-made, 1,600-kilometer (990-mile)-range Tomahawk cruise missiles on Japanese destroyer JS Chokai later this year, and eventually on seven other destroyers.
Takaichi spending on defence to counter enemies threat
Japan Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi aims to boost the defence spending to counter China’s threats and repeated warnings.
Takaichi approved a record defense budget plan exceeding 9 trillion yen ($58 billion) for the fiscal year beginning April and aims to fortify its strike-back capability and coastal defense with cruise missiles and unmanned arsenals in December.
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View AllThe defence minster last week announced the establishment of a new office dedicated to studying China’s Pacific activity.