Overview
- Japanese troops fired two Type-88 anti-ship missiles Wednesday during the Balikatan 2026 exercise in the Philippines, sinking a retired Philippine Navy corvette about 75 kilometers offshore.
- Japanese and Philippine defense ministers watched the live fire from Ilocos Norte in northern Luzon, roughly 400 kilometers from Taiwan.
- Japan and partner militaries described the shots as scheduled training, and Tokyo says the Type-88 is primarily defensive.
- China condemned the launch as Japan’s first overseas use of an “offensive” weapon since World War II and said it lodged formal protests, with one report saying it also raised concerns at the United Nations.
- The drill is part of a broader shift under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, with first-time Japanese combat participation in Balikatan, roughly 17,000 personnel involved, relaxed export rules last month, and a push for counterstrike capability.