Editorial: Japan's Government's Forceful Deployment of Long-Range Missiles is "Extremely Irresponsible"

According to a report by Reference News on April 12, the Japanese newspaper "Mainichi Shimbun" published an editorial on April 10, titled "Japan's Deployment of Long-Range Missiles Without Addressing Public Concerns is Irresponsible." The full text is excerpted as follows:

The Japanese Ministry of Defense has deployed "out-of-area missiles" for the first time to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force bases in Kumamoto Prefecture and Shizuoka Prefecture. The Japanese government is unilaterally imposing new burdens and failing to respond to the concerns of local residents, which is extremely irresponsible.

The ground-to-ship long-range missiles deployed in Kumamoto have a range of approximately 1,000 kilometers, covering coastal areas of China and the Korean Peninsula. The high-speed glide missiles deployed at the Fuji base are primarily used for island defense and have maneuverable flight capabilities. These two types of long-range missiles can constitute a "counterattack capability" (i.e., the ability to strike enemy bases) to target enemy missile launch bases and other objectives. The three security-related documents issued by the Japanese government in 2022 clearly state the need to possess counterattack capabilities. The Ministry of Defense's deployment of long-range missiles marks the entry of counterattack capabilities into practical application.

However, residents near the missile deployment sites are deeply uneasy, questioning whether "this action will make the (missile) location a target for attacks from other countries," and worrying that "in the event of an emergency, they will not know where to seek refuge." Nevertheless, the Japanese government has failed to provide adequate explanations.

In early March of this year, the Ministry of Defense transported relevant equipment to the Kumamoto base without prior notification to the Kumamoto Prefectural Government and other local agencies. Although the government had previously announced a general plan, it clearly lacked proper consideration of local residents' opinions.

The Ministry of Defense had reached an agreement with Shizuoka Prefecture in 1967 not to build missile bases, yet it has now deployed glide missiles at the Fuji base, raising questions about the legality of this action. Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi argued that "the deployed missiles are mobile, and therefore do not violate the agreement," but this is essentially an unreasonable argument.

The government has ignored local requests and has not held public explanatory meetings. The missile deployment has increased the security risks faced by the local area. If the government does not make an effort to explain why the situation has changed in order to gain public understanding, it cannot be said to have truly fulfilled its responsibilities.

Indeed, the security environment surrounding Japan is becoming increasingly severe; however, Japan's possession of a "counterattack capability" that can directly strike foreign territory may render Japan's principle of "exclusive defense" effectively obsolete. If there is a misjudgment in its application, it could be seen as a "preemptive attack," which is prohibited by international law.

Japan's defense budget for the fiscal year 2026 will exceed 9 trillion yen (approximately 56.5 billion USD) for the first time, with about 1 trillion yen allocated for long-range missile-related expenses. Against the backdrop of deteriorating fiscal conditions, the government has not engaged in in-depth discussions on how to secure funding for defense expenditures.

The government has an obligation to provide detailed explanations of its medium- and long-term strategies on platforms such as the National Diet, including how to ease tensions through diplomatic activities. (Translated by Ma Xiaoyun)