Japan is considering the deployment of 1,000 long-range cruise missiles to improve its counter-strike capabilities against China, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported on August 21.
The report notes that the missiles will be modified from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s (JGSDF) Type 12 subsonic anti-ship missiles, increasing their range from 100 to 1,000 kilometers.
The missiles are to be deployed from ships and fighter jets and are planned to be based on Japan’s Southwest Islands and Kyushu.
The Yomiuri Shimbun mentions that the upgraded ground-launched Type 12 will be deployed in 2024, two years earlier than planned. Furthermore, the report notes that Japan will upgrade its ground-attack capabilities beyond its original anti-ship role.
The report mentions that Japan is expected to add “counter-strike capabilities” in its upcoming National Security Strategy. It also notes that since cruise missiles will be the core of this capability, Japan’s Ministry of Defense aims to increase missile production by establishing a system to support capital investment by related companies.
Japan has maintained a pacifist foreign policy since World War II and restricted its military’s role to self-defense. However, Japan possesses one of Asia’s most capable militaries despite its lack of offensive capabilities, which can be used to strike enemy targets from Japan’s territory.
However, increasingly sophisticated threats from China and North Korea may have prompted Japan to rethink its defensive posture.
Yomiuri Shimbun cites a US Department of Defense (DOD) analysis that states China has 1,900 ground-launched intermediate-range ballistic missiles and 300 intermediate-range cruise missiles capable of striking Japan.
The source also notes that North Korea has deployed hundreds of ballistic missiles that can strike Japan. Both China and North Korea have developed hypersonic weapons that could likely penetrate Japan’s missile defenses.
