Japan moves to expand missile reach near China and North Korea

A military missile defense system mounted on a green camouflaged heavy-duty truck is positioned on grass beside a road with a white fence. The system features a large vertical launcher assembly with multiple missile tubes, and a gray missile can be seen launching upward with a visible exhaust plume against a cloudy blue sky.

The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force fires its Type 12 surface-to-ship missile for the first time in July 2023, during the Talisman Sabre exercise in Australia. (Japan Ground Self-Defense Force)

Japan plans to deploy upgraded long-range missiles on its southernmost main island by spring as it continues to bolster defenses in the Nansei Islands, according to local media.

The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force is finalizing arrangements to station an upgraded version of its Type-12 surface-to-ship missile at Camp Kengun in Kumamoto prefecture on Kyushu by March 31, Kyodo News reported Monday, citing unnamed government sources.

Defense Minister Gen Nakatani confirmed Tuesday that the ministry intends to deploy the missiles this fiscal year but is still evaluating potential locations.

“The Ministry of Defense intends to continue working to build standoff defense capabilities more quickly in light of the most severe and complex security environment since the end of the war,” Nakatani said at a regular press conference in Tokyo.

Japan faces mounting security concerns from China, which contests Japan’s claim to the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, along with North Korea’s advancing ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs. Nakatani also cited Russia, which has participated in recent joint military training with China near Japan, in the ministry’s 2025 white paper.

A ministry spokesperson declined to say by email Tuesday how many missiles will be delivered. Some Japanese government officials speak to the media only on condition of anonymity.

The upgraded Type-12 missile, a successor to the Type-88, has an extended range of approximately 620 miles, up from 62 miles. Positioning the missiles on Kyushu would place parts of China’s coast and North Korea within range.

In March, North Korea criticized the planned deployment, accusing Japan of promoting a “history of aggression” and possessing “preemptive strike capability,” according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency.

Japan also plans to deploy the missiles at Camp Yufuin in Oita prefecture, also on Kyushu, and at Vice-Camp Katsuren on Okinawa, Kyodo reported.

Japan conducted three successful test launches of the upgraded missile in October at the Air Systems Research Center on Niijima, an island southwest of Tokyo.

In 2023, the Ground Self-Defense Force opened a missile base on Ishigaki Island, at the far end of the Nansei chain stretching from Kyushu to Taiwan. The base houses Type-12 and Type-03 surface-to-air missiles, aimed at countering China’s growing presence in waters around Taiwan and the East China Sea.