By Li Xiaobo

The Japan Ministry of Defense (JMOD) announced on March 13 that it has officially received US-made Tomahawk cruise missiles, which will be deployed on Aegis-equipped destroyers of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). On the same day, Japan also received the Norwegian-developed Joint Strike Missile (JSM), which will be integrated into the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF)'s F-35A stealth fighter jets. Analysts point out that this marks the first time Japan has fielded foreign-developed offensive missiles, signaling a dangerous step forward in its pursuit of so-called counterstrike capabilities.

With the delivery of the Tomahawk cruise missile, Japan has become one of the few countries, alongside the US, the UK, Australia, and the Netherlands, to possess this type of missile. The JSM, capable of both land-attack and anti-ship missions, is regarded as a golden partner for the F-35 stealth fighter. According to military observer Du Wenlong, Japan's large-scale deployment of these two types of stand-off, long-range strike weapons signifies a major leap in its long-range offensive combat capabilities.

Du noted that the US-made Tomahawk cruise missile is a subsonic missile with long range, high accuracy, and strong penetration capabilities, and that it can be deployed by US submarines via torpedo tubes or by surface ships through vertical launch systems. In the future, Japan may cooperate with the US military to employ the missiles via the MK-41 vertical launch system, relying on naval task groups to conduct operations across multiple maritime areas.

In addition, Japan plans to deploy domestically produced, improved Type-12 long-range anti-ship missiles with a range of 1,000 kilometers in Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu Island and Shizuoka Prefecture on Honshu Island. Analysts believe that Japan's move aims to accelerate the development of its so-called "enemy base strike capabilities."

Du Wenlong noted that Japan's "improved anti-ship missile" is in fact a case of mislabeling. This weapon has little to do with traditional anti-ship operations. Its guidance technologies, such as GPS terrain-matching and terminal image guidance, are essentially a Japanese version of the US Tomahawk cruise missile.

It is learned that the missile's strike targets are not enemy warships but strategic inland targets. Compared with the original Type 12 anti-ship missile, its shape and size have changed significantly. If further "improvements" continue, the missile may in the future adopt glide warheads, penetration warheads, or hypersonic warheads, with major changes in maneuvering and penetration capabilities.

Japan seeks to use its so-called "enemy base strike capabilities" as a pretext to develop preemptive strike capacities, thereby showcasing the "achievements" of its military expansion and readiness.

Du further pointed out that Japan has repeatedly broken through the postwar security framework and the constraints of its pacifist Constitution, fielding foreign-made offensive missiles while accelerating the development of domestically produced long-range strike weapons. From former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to current Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Japan has consistently used the guise of "counterstrike" as justification. In fact, the very concept of "counterstrike" has effectively granted Japan the capability to wage war, which is explicitly prohibited under its pacifist constitution. However, through incremental technological advances, Japan now essentially possesses significant long-range strike capabilities.

Meanwhile, the current JSDF has achieved substantial improvements in operational scale, equipment levels, and military cooperation with the US. Its capabilities in long-range strikes, cyber operations, and space warfare are particularly notable, with overall combat strength long surpassing the traditional scope of the Self-Defense Forces.

This series of dangerous moves will negatively impact the security landscape of Northeast Asia and the region's peace and stability. Regional countries must collectively resist Japan's emergent military expansion and firmly safeguard the hard-won peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific.

Editor's note: Originally published on military.cnr.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.