Japan Tests First Surface-to-Ship Missile at Home

It’s ‘extremely important’ for Japan to improve its defense capabilities in a ’severe security environment,' a Tokyo government spokesperson said.

Surface-to-ship missiles (L) are carried in front of Mount Fuji during a live-fire exercise by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force at the East Fuji Maneuver Area in Gotemba, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, on June 8, 2025. Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

Japan’s military completed its first domestic missile test on Tuesday, joining deterrence efforts in the face of growing regional security concerns in the face of the Chinese communist regime’s aggression.

The launch of the Type 88 surface-to-ship missile took place at Shizunai Anti-Air Firing Range in Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan’s four main islands.

Japan’s move to build up its defense capabilities marks a departure from previous missile tests in allied territory, such as the United States and Australia. This recent test follows policy changes under Japan’s National Security Strategy in 2022, which emphasizes strengthening the nation’s strike-back capabilities.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi confirmed on Wednesday that Japan conducted its first domestic surface-to-ship guided missiles test but said it was not targeted at specific countries.

Such live-fire drills in Japan provide more training opportunities for its troops in different settings, Hayashi told reporters at a briefing in Tokyo.

It is “extremely important” for Japan to maintain and improve its capabilities to defend the country in “a severe security environment,” he added.

In Tuesday’s operation, an offshore unmanned target was located about 25 miles off the coast. The test was a success, with the non-explosive practice missile striking the target.

According to local media Kyodo News, the range of the Type 88 missile is about 62 miles, with “a great impact on the surrounding area, so it has been trained overseas before.” The report stated it has not yet been decided whether the missile will be implemented domestically in the next fiscal year.

The Type 88 missile is a short-range, truck-launched anti-ship system. While it can help achieve the goal of avoiding preemptive naval strikes, officials say it also plays a key role in preparing for newer systems, such as the upgraded Type 12 and U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles that are arriving soon.

The missile tests came as China continues to flex its expanded military assets across the region.

Japan’s defence ministry, in its latest annual white paper, described the threat posed by the Chinese regime as “the greatest strategic challenge.” The ministry noted that Beijing has steadily increased its military spending for more than 30 years, which has allowed it to now step up its military activities in the disputed waters in the East China Sea, as well as with Taiwan.

Japan also faces pressure from China’s proxy, North Korea. In recent months, Pyongyang has fired a flurry of test short-range ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan.

In its next drills, the Japanese government is considering long-range missile tests on Japan’s easternmost territory, Minamitorishima, an island located about 1,148 miles southeast of Tokyo, in April 2026.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.