Launchers for the first batch of Japan’s Type 12 surface-to-ship long-range missiles have arrived at a military base in the country’s southwest, marking the beginning of preparations for their deployment.
According to Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, the upgraded domestically developed missiles are scheduled to be stationed at Camp Kengun in Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu by the end of March. Kyushu overlooks the East China Sea to the west and lies near the Korean Peninsula, reinforcing Japan’s stand-off defense capability against both naval vessels and land-based targets.
The deployment has drawn criticism from local residents and officials, who claim the prefectural authorities were not formally informed and only learned about the plan through media reports. Demonstrators gathered outside the base also warned that the presence of the missiles could make the area a potential target if tensions between Japan and China escalate, particularly over Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory and has repeatedly threatened to annex by force.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi had earlier suggested in November that Tokyo could intervene militarily in the event of an attack on self-governed Taiwan, a statement that heightened diplomatic tensions in the region.
Meanwhile, Japan’s Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced in February that the government plans to deploy surface-to-air missile systems to Yonaguni Island, located roughly 110 kilometers east of Taiwan, by March 2031 as part of broader defense preparations in the southwest.
The Type 12 missile, produced by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, originally had a range of about 200 kilometers. However, upgrades introduced since 2022 are expected to extend its strike range to approximately 1,000 kilometers.
Mounted on an eight-wheeled truck launcher, each vehicle carries six missiles weighing around 680 kilograms each. Following the deployment at Camp Kengun, the upgraded Type 12 missiles are also planned to be stationed at Camp Fuji in Shizuoka Prefecture west of Tokyo by late 2026.
