Japan conducts first domestic missile test

TOKYO — Japan’s army announced Tuesday that it conducted a missile test for the first time on Japanese territory, as the country accelerates its military buildup to deter increasingly assertive China .

The test-firing of the Type 88 surface-to-ship, short-range missile was conducted Tuesday at the Shizunai Anti-Air Firing Range on Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido.

About 300 soldiers participated in Tuesday’s exercise by the Ground Self-Defense Force’s 1st Artillery Brigade, using a training missile targeting an unmanned boat about 40 kilometers (24 miles) off the southern coast of Hokkaido, officials said.

Officials were still examining the results of the test, the GSDF said.

Due to space limitations and safety concerns, Japan has previously conducted missile tests in the territories of the United States, a treaty ally, and Australia , a top Japanese defense partner where vast training grounds are available.

Tuesday’s first domestic missile test underscores Japan’s push toward a more self-sufficient military and its acquisition of strike-back capabilities as a deterrence to China’s increasingly assertive naval activity in regional seas.

Japan is also concerned about growing joint military exercises around Japanese coasts between China and Russia .

Japan and Russia, a northern neighbor to Hokkaido, have territorial disputes.

Japan, under its pacifist Constitution, used to limit the use of force for self-defense only, but has taken a major break from that policy in 2022 when it adopted the ongoing five-year security strategy that names China as the biggest strategic challenge and calls for a closer Japan-U.S. alliance.

Japan is currently working to deploy long-range cruise missiles, including Tomahawks purchased from the U.S., beginning later this year.

Japan is also developing Type 12 surface-to-ship missiles with a range of about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles), 10 times that of a Type 88.

The truck-mounted Type 88 guided missile, developed by Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, have a range of about 100 kilometers (62 miles).

Japan is also preparing to build a missile-firing range on uninhabited Minamitorishima, the country’s easternmost island in the western Pacific, an area where two Chinese aircraft carriers were seen operating together for the first time earlier this month.

东京——日本陆军周二宣布，该国首次在日本本土进行了导弹试验，此举标志着日本正在加快军事建设，以遏制日益强势的中国。

周二，日本在最北端的主岛北海道的静内防空靶场进行了88式舰对舰短程导弹的试射。

官员称，周二，陆上自卫队第一炮兵旅约有 300 名士兵参加了演习，使用训练导弹瞄准了位于北海道南部海岸约 40 公里（24 英里）外的一艘无人船。

陆上自卫队表示，官员们仍在检查测试结果。

由于空间限制和安全考虑，日本此前曾在条约盟友美国和日本主要防务伙伴澳大利亚的领土上进行导弹试验，因为这两个国家拥有广阔的训练场地。

周二的首次国产导弹试验凸显了日本致力于建设更加自主的军事力量，以及获取反击能力以威慑中国在地区海域日益强硬的海军活动。

日本也对中国和俄罗斯在日本沿海地区日益频繁的联合军事演习表示担忧。

日本与北海道的北部邻国俄罗斯之间存在领土争端。

根据日本的和平宪法，日本过去只允许在自卫时使用武力，但在 2022 年，日本大幅改变了这一政策，通过了正在实施的五年安全战略，将中国列为最大的战略挑战，并呼吁加强日美同盟。

日本目前正致力于部署远程巡航导弹，包括从美国购买的战斧导弹，预计将于今年晚些时候开始部署。

日本还在研发射程约为1000公里（620英里）的12型舰对舰导弹，是88型导弹的10倍。

由日本三菱重工研制的车载式 88 型导弹射程约为 100 公里（62 英里）。

日本还准备在无人居住的南鸟岛上建造导弹发射场。南鸟岛是日本位于西太平洋的最东端岛屿，本月初，两艘中国航空母舰首次在该地区共同行动。