Japan Deploys Missile with Capability of Striking Enemy’s Base

Ministry of Defense (MOD) released a plan to deploy long-range stand-off missiles, which can strike enemy’s base from Japan. Those missiles will be installed in some bases in Japan from FY2025. While controversy over constitution which prohibits use or threatening with arms has not settled, the government of Japan decided to introduce highly offensive equipment to Japan Self-defense Force (JSDF), causing concern of residents around JSDF bases. 

Possession of capability of striking enemy’s base was introduced in the revision of three major security documents in December, 2022. The capability is interpreted as preemptive attack on military facilities on foreign lands, when Japan finds a country preparing for missile attack on Japan. Since a preemptive attack is regarded as violation of the Constitution of Japan, there has been a discussion that deployment of long-range stand-off missiles is unconstitutional, breaching traditional restraint of strictly defensive policy.

 

The MOD plans to deploy Type 12 surface-to-ship missile, which extended its range from 100 kilometers to 1,000 kilometers, covering all the territory of North Korea and northeast region of China. The JSDF made first experiment of Type 12 in 2024. It also planning to deploy hyper velocity gliding projectile (HVGP) to protect isolated islands around Japan.

 

Type 12 missiles will be deployed in Kengun Base in Kumamoto in FY2025 and FY2026, and Fuji Base in Shizuoka in FY2027. Sea-launched improved Type 12 missiles will be provided to JDS Teruzuki and air-launched improved Type 12 missiles will be loaded on F-2 fighter jet in Hyakuri Base in Ibaraki. They are deployed there one year earlier, in FY2027, than the previous plan.

 

The MOD is deploying HVGP in Fuji Base in FY2025 and in Kamifurano Base, Hokkaido, and Ebino Base, Miyazaki, in FY2026. Considering growing concern on China’s advance and North Korea’s intimidation of missile capability, and receiving pressure for improvement of defense capability from the United States, Japan made a decision of accelerating capability of striking enemy’s base, leaving constitutional discussion behind.

 

The MOD is interested in improvement of stand-off missile capability, especially long-range missiles, recent years. The ministry plans to appropriate 5 trillion yen for stand-off missile capability for five years between FY2023 and FY2027. It requested 1 trillion yen for FY2026. The MOD also focuses on reinforcing defense capability in space to develop satellite for guiding those missiles.

 

It is likely that deployment of long-range missiles will impose concern to some countries. If they regard Japan’s capability as highly offensive, the JSDF bases with those missiles can be the targets of missile attack. People around Fuji Base or Kengun Base are worried about possibility of being attacked by foreign missiles. How to explain them is one of the most difficult task for MOD.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dilemma between Alliance and Constitution

  In the new year ministerial online meeting, Japan and United States resolved to work together to deal with various challenges by China. In the Joint Statement of the Security Consultative Committee, or “2+2,” the ministers of both government, US Secretaries of State and Defense and Japanese Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense, expressed their concerns on Beijing’s efforts, which were recognized as undermining the rule-based order in Indo-Pacific region and the world. On possible countermeasures, however, there still is a possibility of constitutional dispute in Japan over the principle of exclusively defensive security policy. The ministers referred to their concern about China’s activities in the East and the West China Sea. They reaffirmed to apply Article V of US-Japan Treaty of mutual Cooperation and Security to the Senkaku Islands, and strongly objected to China’s unlawful maritime claims, militarization and coercive activities in the South China Sea. They did not forge...
Read more

Oral Argument against Landfill

Governor of Okinawa Denny Tamaki made an unusual appearance to the court on Monday to submit his opinion on the building of new base for United States Force in Henoko, Nago city. “Execution by proxy of the national government, which violates the independency of Okinawa, cannot be accepted,” said Tamaki in the first oral argument at Naha Branch of Fukuoka High Court on the trial over the request of national government to change the design of new base. Accepting demand from Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the court closed the trial on the day one.   The national government submitted in 2020 a change of plan for the construction of new base, which was to reinforce the soil of sea base. The government of Okinawa rejected the plan and Tokyo ordered Okinawa accepting it, but Okinawa did not obey, and then Tokyo filed a lawsuit. The Supreme Court decided in September that the order of national government was lawful. Seeing that Okinawa did not approve the plan by ...
Read more

Basic Plan for Promoting Dementia Care

Shigeru Ishiba Cabinet approved   the basic plan   of policies for dealing with dementia which has been prevalent to aged people in Japan. While the people socially recognized that the patients of dementia is mostly unable to be involved in social activities, the plan tries to pave the way for them to take various roles in the communities they belong to. The government of Japan introduces a concept that everyone can someday be a patient of dementia.   As average lifespan of the Japanese is prolonged, the patients of dementia increased these years. According to  the white paper  on aged society in 2024, the patients of dementia among the people at the age of 65 or older increased as many as 4.43 million in 2022, occupying 12.3 percent to all. The patients of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) amounted to 5.58 million (15.5 percent). The government anticipates that the number of patients of dementia will increase to 5.84 million (14.9 percent) in 2040, as MCI patient...
Read more