Japan’s military conducted its first missile test on home soil Tuesday, aiming to strengthen deterrence against growing threats from China and North Korea, the military announced.
The Ground Self-Defense Force’s 1st Artillery Brigade fired a Type 88 surface-to-ship missile at the Shizunai Anti-Air Firing Range in Hokkaido.
🇯🇵 Footage from Japan’s test launch of Type 88 anti-ship missile pic.twitter.com/JRiHSkU0tX
— Sprinter Observer (@SprinterObserve) June 25, 2025
Around 300 troops participated in the exercise, targeting an unmanned vessel 40 kilometers offshore. Officials confirmed a direct hit and said further analysis of the test is ongoing.
Japan previously carried out such tests abroad, primarily in the U.S. and Australia, due to space and safety constraints.
Tuesday’s launch signals Japan’s intent to expand domestic military operations and reinforce strike-back capabilities under its revised 2022 defense strategy, which identifies China as its top strategic concern.
The Type 88, developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, is mounted on an 8×8 truck and has a range of roughly 100 kilometers. It uses inertial guidance and a radar seeker, flying at low altitudes to avoid detection.
Outside a nearby army camp, protesters criticized the test, warning it could raise regional tensions and entangle Japan in future conflicts.
Japan plans to deploy U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles later this year and is developing a longer-range Type 12 missile with a 1,000-kilometer reach. It also intends to build a missile range on Minamitorishima, an eastern Pacific island near recent Chinese naval activity.
A second test is scheduled before Sunday, according to the military.
