- Japan has deployed its first domestically developed long-range stand-off missiles, formally fielding the Type-25 surface-to-ship missile and Type-25 HVGP with active Ground Self-Defense Force units
- The deployment marks the operational start of Japan’s counterstrike capability, extending the country’s long-range deterrence posture amid regional tensions involving China and North Korea
Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) on Tuesday confirmed the first operational deployment of domestically developed stand-off missiles, formally fielding the newly designated Type-25 surface-to-ship missile and Type-25 hyper velocity gliding projectile (HVGP) as part of the country’s evolving counterstrike capability.
According to the JGSDF statement, the systems previously known as the upgraded Type-12 surface-to-ship guided missile (ground-launched) and the island defense high-speed gliding projectile have completed development and have now entered service as Japan’s first indigenous stand-off missiles to be deployed to active units.
The immediate relevance of the deployment lies in Japan’s response to what the Defense Ministry described as an increasingly severe security environment surrounding the country. The missiles are intended to strengthen deterrence and response capability by allowing the JGSDF to hold distant maritime and land-based threats at risk.
In its statement, the JGSDF said, “Based on the severe security environment surrounding our country, the Ground Self-Defense Force has been working to build stand-off defense capabilities.” It added that both systems have now been officially designated as the Type-25 surface-to-ship guided missile and Type-25 high-speed gliding projectile, and were deployed to units for the first time today as Japan’s first domestically produced stand-off missiles.
The Type-25 surface-to-ship missile was deployed to Camp Kengun in Kumamoto, while the Type-25 HVGP was stationed at Camp Fuji near Gotemba in Shizuoka Prefecture. The upgraded missile reportedly has a range of about 1,000 kilometers, while the HVGP is capable of traveling hundreds of kilometers at supersonic speed on irregular flight paths, complicating interception.
The Type-25 missile provides Japan with a long-range land-based strike option capable of targeting hostile naval assets and fixed sites from outside immediate threat zones. The HVGP, by contrast, is designed for high-speed, maneuvering trajectories that increase survivability against missile defense systems. This gives Japan a more layered stand-off strike architecture that now includes ground-launched domestic systems, Tomahawk-capable destroyers, and future ship- and air-launched variants already planned for 2027.
The deployment is strategically linked to Japan’s 2022 National Security Strategy, which formally opened the path toward counterstrike capability despite the country’s traditionally defense-oriented postwar doctrine. The systems are intended to deter hostile action by placing potential launch sites, naval forces, and rear-area infrastructure within range.
The missile deployment comes amid continued Chinese military activity around Japan’s southwestern islands and near Taiwan, as well as ongoing North Korean missile development. The reported strike range places parts of China’s coastline, the East China Sea, and nearly all of North Korea within potential reach from existing deployment sites.
The move also follows the recent completion of modifications to the Aegis destroyer Chokai, making it Japan’s first ship capable of carrying and launching U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles, further expanding Tokyo’s long-range strike portfolio.