The Deployment of the Type 25 Anti-Ship Guided Missile Realizes Japan's 1000km Counterattack Capability

The names of the Kengun Garrison and Fuji Garrison have been reported together in the context of long-range missiles. Army Recognition reported in July that the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force has deployed the improved Type 12 Anti-Ship Guided Missile as the Type 25 Anti-Ship Guided Missile, and has also begun to introduce the Type 25 Hypervelocity Gliding Projectile into operational units. If this is true, Japan's counterattack capability has moved from the realm of policy documents to a tangible stage involving troop deployment and ammunition storage.

The Name Change from Type 12 to Type 25

The improved Type 12 Anti-Ship Guided Missile is quite different in nature from conventional coastal defense missiles. The range of the initial Type 12 is generally considered to be around 200km, with the mission of intercepting approaching vessels from islands or the coast. According to reports, the Type 25 Anti-Ship Guided Missile has extended its range to approximately 1000km, bringing the East China Sea, northern Taiwan, and southern Kyushu within the range of ground forces.

This is not merely an extension of distance. The missile's airframe shape, low-altitude cruising, inertial navigation, satellite positioning, terminal guidance, and mid-course update data links must work together to be effective against moving vessels. For the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, the ability to strike at sea is not a substitute for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, but a joint operational capability that relies on the sensor networks of both the Maritime and Air Self-Defense Forces.

Combination with the Hypervelocity Gliding Projectile

The Type 25 Hypervelocity Gliding Projectile exerts a different kind of pressure compared to anti-ship cruise missiles. After being accelerated by a rocket, it glides at high speed while taking an irregular trajectory, thereby shortening the calculation time for the intercepting side. While the current range should be viewed with some flexibility, it is noteworthy that the Ministry of Defense aims for a future model with a range of around 2000km.

• The Type 25 Anti-Ship Guided Missile is considered a long-range anti-ship and ground strike capability based on the improved Type 12.
• The reported range is approximately 1000km, significantly extending from the conventional Type 12's range of about 200km.
• The Type 25 Hypervelocity Gliding Projectile is a separate strike capability intended for high-value targets or time-sensitive targets.
• Ship-launched and aircraft-launched variants are expected to be introduced after fiscal year 2027.

Utility for the Defense of the Southwestern Islands

The most challenging aspect of defending the southwestern islands is not protecting the islands themselves, but continuously delivering ammunition, fuel, repair capabilities, and communications to the islands. The range of the Type 25 allows for greater deterrence against enemy fleets from a distance, while also making the positions of the launching units, supply lines, and ammunition depots potential targets for enemy attacks. In other words, Japan will extend its deterrent range while simultaneously exposing its domestic vulnerabilities.

Kengun is close to western Kyushu, and Fuji could serve as a base for training and deployment on the Honshu side. If considering operations that disperse towards the southwestern islands from here, it will require not only the mobility of the wheeled launchers but also civilian ports, airports, roads, underground ammunition storage, and cyber-protected command and communications. Focusing solely on missile performance overlooks this aspect.

The Burden on the Alliance Will Not Lighten

The introduction of U.S. Tomahawks, JSMs for the F-35, and the domestic production of the Type 25 will diversify Japan's strike capabilities. However, in the author's view, this does not signify a departure from dependence on the U.S. military, but rather complicates the operational burden-sharing within the Japan-U.S. alliance. If there are delays in target identification, damage assessment, rules of engagement, or political approval, the 1000km range will remain just a number on a map.

Army Recognition reports that the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force confirmed the introduction of the Type 25 Anti-Ship Guided Missile and the Type 25 Hypervelocity Gliding Projectile into units in an announcement on March 31, 2026. The counterattack capability outlined in the 2022 National Security Strategy has, for the first time, been visualized as an issue of ammunition and unit operations.

When assessing the capabilities of the Chinese Navy, one should measure capabilities before intentions. The same applies to Japan. The greatest significance of the Type 25 is not that it can reach Beijing, but that it allows Japan to regain some decision-making time in the East China Sea. However, the real weakness is not a lack of range. It is whether peacetime politics can keep pace with the speed of information sharing and public explanation necessary for launch decisions.