Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Forces are massively increasing intelligence gathering and counterstrike stand-off weapons such as the Tomahawk missile, advanced drones and upgraded Type-12 surface-to-ship missiles. … to counter a fast-evolving Chinese threat.
It will surprise noone to read that’s Japan’s Defense of Japan 2023 text specifically identifies the growing threat from China, as Japan’s Minister of Defense Hamada Yazukazu is quoted in the report saying
“China is rapidly enhancing its military capability qualitatively and quantitatively, including nuclear and missile forces, while continuing and amplifying its unilateral changes to the status quo by force and such attempts in the East China Sea and the South China Sea,” Yazukazu says in the document.
The report from the Japanese Ministry of Defense also specifies the acquisition of several stand-off weapons such as an upgraded Type-12 surface-to-ship missile and Tomahawk missile as evidence of its fast-evolving counterstrike capability.
“The capabilities which, in the case of missile attacks by an opponent, enable Japan to mount effective counterstrikes against the opponent to prevent further attacks while defending against incoming missiles by means of the missile defense network. This discourages the opponent from attacking and deters armed attack itself,” Japan’s Defense of Japan 2023 states.
