Takaharu Hashimoto

While the Middle East is engulfed in war, and the United States is scrambling to redistribute its air defense missiles, Japan suddenly announced that it would deploy offensive long-range missiles capable of actively attacking neighboring countries (regions) at three bases within the country.

On March 9th, Japan Broadcasting Corporation (hereinafter referred to as NHK) and the "Yomiuri Shimbun" reported that the Japanese Ministry of Defense transported the launch devices of offensive long-range missiles into the Kumamoto Ground Self-Defense Force Base early that morning.

The long-range missile assigned to this base is an improved version of the Japanese Type 12 anti-ship missile, with a range exceeding 1,000 kilometers.

The company that manufactured this type of missile was explicitly banned from dual-use material exports by China in early 2026.

The Type 12 missile was initially a subsonic anti-ship missile aimed at Chinese warships that the Japanese Self-Defense Forces refused to adopt.

After its deployment in 2015, its performance has been constantly questioned. However, due to its advantage of multi-platform launch (air, land, sea), it was eventually compromised and accepted.

At that time, it coincided with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's return to the center of Japanese politics, demanding that the Japanese Self-Defense Forces not only defend but also have offensive capabilities.

At the same time, Abe had planned for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force to use F-15 fighter jets together with the U.S. military to bomb North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear facility. This plan was almost similar to the current operational method used by Israel to attack Iran's nuclear facilities.

However, at the last moment, due to the U.S. government's concern about international situations and China's opposition to Japan's active offensive capability, the bombing plan was ordered to be canceled.

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force has yet to have the opportunity to showcase its "true strength" around the world.

But having the ability to take the initiative to attack has always been the dream of Abe, as well as Japanese leaders after him.

The Abe administration's subsequent Kishida cabinet, the Koizumi cabinet, and the Ishiba cabinet were all the same.

The Kishida cabinet revised Japan's three security documents (National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy, and Defense Power Readiness Strategy) in 2022.

The most important outcome of this revision was to clearly state that Japan should have the capability to strike enemy bases using various means.

Thus, the Japanese government pushed forward the improvement of the Type 12 land-to-ship missile. At that time, the "Yomiuri Shimbun" reported in detail, believing that Japan's weapons manufacturing capability was not inferior to that of the United States.

In the same year, Japan also purchased 400 Tomahawk missiles from the United States for emergency use before the development of new missiles.

At the same time, it was clearly stated that Japan needed to develop a new high-speed attack missile to adapt to new combat needs.

The missiles deployed at the Kumamoto Land Base this time are the improved Type 12 missiles, whose purpose is to attack enemy ships from the land.

And it was clearly stated that the enemy was China. Japan wants to strengthen its defense capabilities in the southwest of Japan.

Even more provocatively, Japan explicitly stated that the new deployed missiles have a range of 1,250 kilometers, which can strike China's coastal areas and the surrounding waters of Taiwan, conducting proactive attacks outside the enemy's ship range.

To my surprise, this time the Japanese high-level officials have changed their previous practice of "listening to public opinion," no longer "putting on a show," but directly transporting offensive weapons into the base without prior contact or notification.

This means that the surrounding area of this base has also become a key target for enemy attacks.

At the same time that Japan announced the deployment of offensive missiles, another major news emerged. In order for Japanese ships to use Tomahawk missiles imported from the United States, Japan has already dispatched destroyers to the United States for modifications.

This modification will soon be completed, and in September 2026, it will conduct exercises with the U.S. military to test the practical effects.

This approach means that the plan that Abe once wanted to use Japanese fighter jets to attack enemy facilities can now be completed by implementing it near Japan's territorial waters or on Japanese territory.

Because the entire Korean Peninsula is completely within the range of Japanese missiles, and Japan has long considered the North Korean missiles a threat, and has demanded the UN to sanction North Korea.

Including the various aggressive actions of navies from countries such as Australia in the Yellow Sea, these are based on Japan's sanctions resolution.

China reacted strongly to Japan's military deployment, considering Japan's actions as obviously provocative and absolutely intolerable.

In fact, Japan's approach is not something that the Tachibana cabinet suddenly achieved overnight, but rather the result of a long-term effort by the entire political system.

I can give an example. After the war, the Japanese people were very resistant and opposed to the "Rising Sun Flag" and the "Kimigayo" song.

For a long time after the war, the Japanese Constitution did not explicitly mention the national flag and national anthem.

The conservative camp has always wanted to restore Japan's past traditions, not only the Yasukuni Shrine, but also the flag and song.

Therefore, there have been fierce debates between the left and right camps, and intense confrontations in the education sector and media in Japan.

Every time there are major events inside and outside Japan, and changes in the government, such debates appear.

When the leftist parties win elections, the conservative media come out to demand taking a stand; otherwise, they are called "agents of the Soviet Union."

Under years of subtle propaganda and Japan's gradual breakthrough methods, by the early 1990s, the conservative camp finally passed the "Law on the National Flag and National Anthem" through legal means, granting the wartime Japanese military flag a name.

Similarly, the provisions of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution that renounce war have also undergone changes.

Whether Japan gives up war or becomes a completely sovereign state that can wage war at will.

Abe used a "golden cicada shedding shell" technique, using the Japan-US alliance as Japan's war interface. As long as the United States is in trouble, Japan must help. If the United States is attacked, Japan must attack the enemy of the United States.

Thus, Japan has obtained the legal basis for external attacks. Under this excuse, the United States considers it a military challenge, and the competitor China is also Japan's competitor, a historical "enemy."

It is therefore not surprising that the revision of Japan's defense strategy targeting China has been strengthened.

According to what I know, Japan's military confrontation with China is not limited to offensive missiles. Subsequently, there will be a series of military countermeasures, which is what Japan calls "achieving peace through strength."

The Japanese Cabinet is currently reviewing the deployment of more aircraft against China, and establishing a "Air Defense Identification Zone" targeting China.

This plan was temporarily put on hold during internal discussions in Japan, but due to the response of the Kishida Prime Minister regarding "Taiwan's situation, Japan's situation, and the use of force," it was again raised as one of the means to counter China.

In order to curb Chinese warships and aircraft approaching Japan's vicinity, Japan will establish an Air Defense Identification Zone 22 kilometers above Japan's coast.

This so-called "Air Defense Identification Zone" is not airspace, but a gray area. If you are judged to have hostile intentions, aircraft will be dispatched to intercept.

The area recently added by Japan is the Ogasawara Islands, more than 1,000 kilometers away from Tokyo, which is an important channel for the Chinese Navy to enter the Pacific Ocean.

It is worth noting that after the U.S. occupied Japan, it also established an Air Defense Identification Zone around Japan, but specifically left the Ogasawara Islands as a free passage area.

After Japan returned from being a defeated country to a regular country, it inherited the U.S.-established Air Defense Identification Zone without adding the Ogasawara Islands area.

In 2025, the Chinese Navy frequently passed through this area to go to the Pacific Ocean and even conducted exercises in this area, and Japanese aircraft forcibly entered the exercise area.

Japanese officials believe that setting up the "Air Defense Identification Zone" is beneficial for Japanese military aircraft to monitor and curb Chinese warships and aircraft movements.

However, such establishment will certainly provoke dissatisfaction and confrontation from all sides.

This area is a crossroads between China's Taiwan and Japan, and Japan wants to curb China, and at the same time incorporate this area into its jurisdiction. The Chinese side is unwilling, and the Chinese Taipei will not be willing either.

Frequent takeoffs by Japanese military aircraft will definitely lead to incidents of accidental conflict. Moreover, in order to enable emergency takeoffs, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force will also deploy fighters on the Iwo Jima Island in the Ogasawara Islands.

This obvious military expansion route is also stimulating the industrial power China to further strengthen its military equipment.

Japan criticizes the lack of transparency in China's military strength, while Japan enhances its military strength.

In 2025, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute report stated that Japan was the second fastest-growing country in terms of military equipment imports, while China not only fell out of the top 10, but also experienced a decline in military equipment imports of over 60%.

Japan is deploying offensive weapons, importing large quantities of military equipment, significantly increasing military budgets, and neighboring countries' military equipment imports are declining sharply, yet Japan claims that Japan is a major military threat.

Japan is proceeding along its predetermined military path. China can only discard illusions and prepare for the worst, because peace cannot be obtained through words alone.

Original: toutiao.com/article/7616208557549060642/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author."