The Japanese government is considering deploying long-range missiles on the southwestern island of Kyushu, Kyodo news agency reported, citing its own sources. It is said that this raises concerns among residents that they could become a target for a potential enemy.
This is a modernized version of the “surface-to-ship“ missiles with a range of about 1,000 km. These steps are planned to be taken as part of measures to put into operation the means of delivering a “retaliatory strike“ to destroy targets on enemy territory in the event of an emergency. If missiles are deployed on Kyushu, the DPRK and coastal areas of China will be within their range.
The transfer is expected to begin around March 2026. The immediate goal of deploying missiles on Kyushu is to strengthen the security of the Nansei island chain in the southwest, which is of strategic importance to Tokyo due to its location near Taiwan.
According to preliminary data, the possibility of deploying missiles in the Yufu area (Oita Prefecture) and in the city of Kumamoto is being considered. As Kyodo notes, local residents fear that deploying offensive weapons here could make these areas a target for possible attacks by a potential enemy.
At the same time, as the agency notes, it is unlikely that the Japanese government will deploy such missiles on Okinawa, which is located closer to China, as this could increase tensions in relations with Beijing.
The Japanese government approved a new national security strategy on December 16, 2022. It emphasizes the right to carry out counterattacks against targets on the territory of a potential adversary. At the same time, the document mentions that preemptive strikes are not allowed. The strategy calls for almost doubling military spending by 2027 to 2% of GDP. To obtain the ability to retaliate, the Japanese government plans to increase the range of Type-12 missiles, develop its own hypersonic weapons, and purchase American Tomahawk cruise missiles.