Due to the escalating concerns of a potential military invasion of Taiwan by the Chinese Communist Party, the Japanese government is reportedly planning to deploy long-range missiles in the southern region of Kyushu, according to Japanese media. These missiles would have the capability to cover coastal areas of both North Korea and China.
According to the Japan News Agency, multiple sources within the Japanese government revealed on March 15th that discussions are underway regarding the deployment of long-range missiles with retaliatory capabilities (specifically the ability to strike enemy missile bases). These missiles are intended to target missile bases in other countries and Kyushu is being considered as the initial deployment site for ground-launched missiles. Deployment is expected to commence by the end of the fiscal year 2025 (March 2026).
The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force currently operates a ground-to-ship missile unit utilizing long-range missiles, with potential deployment sites in Oita City and Kumamoto City in Kyushu likely to be among the first deployment locations.
In the defense plan formulated by the Japanese government in December 2022, it aims to enhance the capabilities of seven ground-to-ship missile units responsible for operating long-range missiles over the next approximately 10 years. Additionally, there are ongoing efforts to develop a “High-Speed Glide Missile Enhancement Model for Island Defense” with an extended range, as well as a “Hypersonic Missile”.
According to previous reports, the Japanese government plans to deploy a missile with a range of up to 2000 kilometers in the early 2030s, followed by the deployment of a hypersonic missile with a range of up to 3000 kilometers around 2035.