Amid China’s ongoing military expansion in the Western Pacific, with Chinese military forces frequently active in the East China Sea, Japan is planning an anti-ship missile launch exercise on its mainland. At the same time, Russian naval forces continue to operate in surrounding waters.
According to a report by “Asahi Shimbun” on May 14, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force announced that it will conduct training for Type 88 surface-to-ship missiles at the Shingō air shooting range in late June. The shooting range is located in Shingo, Hokkaido, from where missiles can be launched from the land to target maritime vessels.
The Ground Self-Defense Force stated that the annual surface-to-ship missile launch training is scheduled to take place from June 19 to 30 on the southern coast of Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido, aiming to enhance anti-ship capabilities.
This will be Japan’s first domestically-held long-range missile training with a range exceeding 100 kilometers.
Reportedly, the training plan involves two launches, using unarmed missiles to attack maritime targets within a 24-mile radius in the southwest direction of the shooting area.
The shooting range is located in the northeastern part of the Tsugaru Strait, which connects the Sea of Japan (East China Sea) to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east. The strait separates Japan’s two main islands: Hokkaido to the north and Honshu to the south.
In the past, due to space limitations and safety considerations, Japan’s missile test activities have been conducted in the United States and other overseas locations. The upcoming test will mark Japan’s first launch of the domestically-produced Type 88 missile.
The expansion of the Chinese naval fleet and the increasing maritime activities have prompted Japan to enhance its ability to sink enemy vessels. Japan is developing an upgraded version of the Type 12 missile and has already ordered two types of American missiles capable of maritime strikes.
Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines together form part of the First Island Chain. This is part of the U.S. containment strategy aimed at restricting Chinese and Russian access to broader military pathways in the Western Pacific through allied territories.
In order to confront China, the Ground Self-Defense Force is intensifying training for anti-ship missile units in the Southwest Islands (Ryukyu Islands), aiming to increase their operational capabilities through domestic training methods. If China makes any moves towards Taiwan, these anti-ship missiles can be used not only to attack enemy vessels but also to retaliate against enemy bases. The Japanese government is currently strengthening the deployment of anti-ship missile units in the Kyushu and Okinawa regions.
The Japanese government has designated the five straits surrounding the Japanese archipelago as “international straits,” through which Chinese and Russian naval vessels have previously navigated. The Japanese Ministry of Defense regularly monitors and reports on their movements.
The 2024 Japanese Defense White Paper pointed out that “China is further strengthening cooperation with Russia, including military activities. China and Russia have conducted joint bomber flights and maritime activities near Japan. These repeated joint activities are clearly intended to demonstrate force against Japan, which is very concerning from the perspective of Japanese national security.”
Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian stated: “The Japanese side has long been closely monitoring, surveilling, and interfering with Chinese ships and aircraft, endangering their safety and easily leading to maritime and aerial security issues.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed: “Regarding the resumption of bilateral political dialogue, both sides reiterate that only when Japan abandons its hostile policy towards Russia and confirms this with concrete steps can the path to comprehensive cooperation be opened.”
Japan’s move aims to strengthen its defense capabilities and provide more training opportunities for domestic forces. It is expected that about 300 personnel will participate in the exercise, double the number during overseas training.
【This article is a reference to the report on May 16 by the News Weekly】