Overview
- Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Tuesday that the Self-Defense Forces have begun fielding Type 25 surface-to-ship missiles at Camp Kengun in Kumamoto on Kyushu.
- The rollout includes Type 25 launchers in Kumamoto and, as Koizumi noted, a Shizuoka site reported to host a hypersonic projectile to defend remote islands.
- The ministry says the deployment begins an operational counterattack phase designed to deter China and North Korea as their military activity grows near Japan.
- The Type 25 is an upgraded Type 12 model reported to reach about 1,000 kilometers and to strike hostile ships from land-based positions.
- Officials say U.S. intelligence will be essential for finding distant targets, NHK reports plans to add U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles, and Russia warned it may take steps to reinforce its defenses.