Japan to deploy counter-strike missiles closer to China by end-March
Why it matters: It deepens Japan’s deterrence, sharpening Sino‑Japanese rivalry over Taiwan and regional stability.
- Japan’s Ground Self‑Defence Force will deploy 1,000 km range Type 12 missiles in Kumamoto, Kyushu, to enable counter‑strike attacks on enemy bases.
- Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara confirmed the move and said local residents will be briefed once preparations finish.
- China condemned the deployment, calling it “evil designs” tied to the Taiwan premier’s recent visit to Japan.
- Local residents staged protests after an unannounced delivery of a missile launcher, fearing the area could become a target of retaliation.
Japan will station its long‑range Type 12 surface‑to‑ship missiles in Kumamoto by the end of March, bolstering a counter‑strike capability aimed at Chinese forces amid escalating Taiwan tensions. Beijing denounced the deployment as hostile, framing it as part of a broader threat to its interests.
