Japan Fires Type 88 Missiles at Ex‑Philippine Ship
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- Japan Ground Self-Defense Force fired two Type 88 anti‑ship missiles from a 6×6 launcher at the decommissioned ex‑Philippine Navy vessel BRP Quezon, 75 km away, on 6 May during Exercise Balikatan 2026.
- American HIMARS previously launched a GMLRS rocket at the same target, while a U.S. Marine Corps NMESIS platform, carrying Kongsberg Naval Strike Missiles, was present but had never been fired from the Philippines before.
- Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. observed the firing, noting the interoperability and future integration potential of the missile system.
- Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Teodoro signed a statement on promoting defence equipment and technology, discussing Japan’s revised policy on overseas lethal weapons sales.
- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ Type 88 missile, a 35‑year‑old system with a 180 km range and 225 kg warhead, will be gradually replaced by the newer Type 12 missile.
- Exercise Balikatan 2026 involved roughly 17,000 troops from seven nations, with Japan contributing about 1,400 personnel, marking the first deployment of Japanese combat troops on Philippine soil since WWII.
- Philippines plans to acquire second‑hand equipment such as TC‑90 aircraft and Abukuma‑class destroyers from Japan, but not the Type 88 missile, as it already fields the Indian‑made BrahMos system.
Why it matters: Japan’s live‑fire of Type 88 missiles gives the Philippines a practical demonstration of joint strike capability, reinforcing the newly ratified reciprocal access agreement and signaling Japan’s shift toward overseas arms sales, while the Philippines gains a partner for maritime defence against Chinese incursions.
