Japan’s counterstrike move reflects rising regional challenges

A domestically produced Japanese long-range Type 12 surface-to-ship guided missile with improved capability undergoes a test launch in California in October
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This week has been a watershed in Japan’s defense modernization
The Self-Defense Forces deployed long-range missiles to a military base, the first time that the country has adopted offensive strike capabilities
This is a crucial step in the evolution of Japan’s military posture and reflects changes within and outside the country
While necessary, it demands a new strategic mindset, one that is anticipated by the new national security documents that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has promised, but is in fact much more.Japan has for some time debated the acquisition and deployment of “strike capabilities,” most typically long-range missiles that can hit adversaries from a considerable distance
The government agreed to do so in 2022, and that determination was made clear in the National Defense Strategy published that year.This week, the Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) deployed at Camp Kengun in Kumamoto long-range missiles that can reach targets up to 1,000 km away
That range will allow them to hit bases in mainland China
They also would be able to hit almost any target within North Korea
At the same time, Japan deployed hyper velocity gliding projectiles (HVGP) to Camp Fuji near Gotemba in Shizuoka Prefecture
HVGPs are launched from the ground and can travel hundreds of kilometers at supersonic speeds while flying in irregular trajectories, which makes them hard to intercept
As Jesse Johnson explained in his analysis this week, additional deployments are expected.

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