September 5, 2025

Akahata editorial (excerpts)

The Ministry of Defense on August 29 released a plan to deploy domestically produced long-range missiles nationwide with having the possession of an enemy base capability uppermost in mind.

The government, in the revised three key national security documents which were approved at the end of 2022, expressed for the first time its intent to equip Japan with an enemy-base attack (counterforce) capability. Despite this, the government reiterates that the “basic principle” remains unchanged that Japan, in compliance with the Constitution, will maintain its exclusively defensive defense posture and will not become an offensive military power posing a threat to other countries.

The deployment of long-range missiles is incompatible with the “defense-oriented” policy both in terms of their capabilities and their possible operational use. It is obvious that the planned deployment will turn Japan into an offensive “militaristic power that threatens other countries”.

Long-range missiles under development by the Defense Ministry include the “upgraded version of the type 12 surface-to-ship guided missile” with a range of 1,000 kilometers and the hypersonic missile with a range of 3,000 kilometers. Those missiles’ ranges are more than enough to hit Mainland China and the Korean Peninsula.

According to the ministry’s plan published on August 29, the long-range missiles will be deployed to SDF bases in the prefectures of Hokkaido, Miyazaki, Kumamoto, Shizuoka, Kanagawa, and Ibaraki between fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2027.

The government does not rule out the possibility that when the government exercises the right to collective self-defense based on the security-related legislation, the SDF may conduct operations to attack enemy bases. However, as the SDF is incapable of gathering intelligence regarding attack targets located within other countries’ territories, it needs to rely on the U.S. military intelligence. This means that the SDF may participate in a U.S.-led war abroad and fire missiles under U.S. command, which could result in a retaliatory attack against Japan.

It is urgently necessary to increase public oppositions and movement to protest against the planned deployment of long-range missiles in Japan.

Past related article:
> Local network demands withdrawal of plan to deploy domestic long-range missiles to Kumamoto [August 30, 2025]