Japan to Deploy Long-Range Missiles in Kyushu Amid Rising Regional Tensions

TOKYO: Japan is set to deploy long-range missiles in Kumamoto Prefecture on the southwestern island of Kyushu as part of a broader strategy to strengthen its “counterstrike capabilities,” government sources revealed on Monday.

The deployment, expected before the end of fiscal year 2025 (ending March 2026), will involve an upgraded version of the Ground Self-Defense Force’s (GSDF) Type-12 land-to-ship guided missile. This marks the first operational placement of a domestically developed long-range missile with an estimated range of up to 1,000 kilometers, capable of reaching parts of China from Japanese territory.

According to defense officials, the missile deployment is intended to bolster the protection of Japan’s Nansei island chain, which stretches toward Taiwan and holds significant strategic value amid growing regional security threats. Concerns have been mounting in Tokyo over a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan, which Beijing considers a breakaway province and has not ruled out reclaiming by force.

“Strengthening missile defense capabilities in the southwestern region is critical for Japan’s national security,” one government source said, pointing to escalating military activities by China near Taiwan and in the East China Sea.

In addition to Kumamoto, Japan’s Defense Ministry is also considering deploying the upgraded Type-12 missiles to a GSDF garrison in Oita Prefecture next spring or later. Future deployments to Okinawa, Japan’s southernmost island prefecture, are also under review.

The move is part of Japan’s shift toward a more assertive defense policy, including its adoption of counterstrike capabilities as outlined in its 2022 National Security Strategy. While Japan’s postwar constitution limits its use of force strictly for self-defense, recent legislative changes and defense policy updates reflect a growing focus on deterrence amid threats from China, North Korea, and Russia.

Analysts say the missile deployment underscores Japan’s increasing alignment with U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy and its resolve to deter aggression in the region.

However, the decision is likely to draw criticism from Beijing, which has already expressed opposition to Japan’s expanding military capabilities and partnerships with the United States in space and missile defense.