Japan to develop long-range missiles as tensions with China rise

Japan plans to develop and build an array of advanced long-range missiles as it bolsters its defences amid increasing tensions with neighbouring China. The Japanese Defence Ministry said that it had signed contracts with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to develop and mass-produce the weapons under a plan extending to 2027. Deployment of those weapons is scheduled for 2026 and 2027, it said. The deals, worth more than 2.8 billion dollars, follow Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s announcement in December planning to boost defence spending and enable Japan to possess counterstrike capabilities, in the event of an emergency and under specific circumstances. The Defence Ministry news release did not say how many of each missile would be acquired.

Mass production of Type 12 land-to-ship guided missiles and hypersonic gliding missiles, which are already developed, will begin this year, the ministry said. Officials refused to provide the number of missiles that Japan plans to deploy but indicated that production is expected to gradually increase over the next five years. Due to limited space at home, Japan plans to hold predeployment missile tests at military bases in the United States, ministry officials said. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Japan is also buying 400 American-made long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of hitting targets up to 1,600 kilometers (994 miles) away for deployment beginning in 2026.The Tomahawks are a stopgap while Mitsubishi works to upgrade and extend the range of its missiles.