Japan officially receives "Tomahawk," taking a dangerous step forward.

[Global Times Comprehensive Report] According to South Korea's "Chosun Ilbo" on the 14th, Japan's Ministry of Defense officially received American-made "Tomahawk" cruise missiles on the 13th, intended for equipping the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Aegis destroyers. On the same day, the Ministry of Defense also received the Norwegian-developed Joint Strike Missile (JSM) air-launched cruise missile, intended for equipping the Air Self-Defense Force's F-35A stealth fighters. Media from several Asian countries have noted the news of Japan acquiring these offensive weapons. The Chinese military newspaper "Liberation Army Daily" criticized on the 14th via its Weibo account "Jun Zhengping Studio" that this is Japan's first time equipping foreign-made offensive missiles, marking a dangerous step in Tokyo's counterattack capability construction, indicating that it is speeding down the path of remilitarization.

"Chosun Ilbo" reported that Japan's Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi announced at a press conference on the 13th that the "Tomahawk" cruise missiles and JSM missiles have begun to be delivered to the Self-Defense Forces. Japan thus becomes one of the few countries, following the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Netherlands, to equip "Tomahawk" missiles.

The "Tomahawk" cruise missiles are primarily equipped on Japan's eight active Aegis destroyers, and in the future, they will also be equipped on two Aegis system-equipped ships (ASEV) currently under construction. The MK41 vertical launch systems on these main vessels of the Maritime Self-Defense Force can accommodate different numbers of "Tomahawk" cruise missiles as needed. In November 2023, the U.S. State Department approved the sale of 400 "Tomahawk" missiles to Japan, valued at $2.35 billion. Initially, Japan hoped to procure 400 of the latest "Tomahawk" missiles, but due to the so-called "increasingly severe security environment in the region," Japan changed its procurement plan to a mixed model of 200 old models and 200 new models to "gain long-range strike capability a year earlier." The U.S. website "Defense News" reported that in September 2025, Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer "Takanami" will be the first to go to the U.S. for the modification of "Tomahawk" cruise missiles. The "Tomahawk" Block 4 cruise missiles procured by Japan have a range of about 1,600 kilometers, can change flight paths during flight, and can use infrared imaging guidance to loiter over target areas, searching for and striking ground targets like a loitering munition. The "Tomahawk" Block 5 missiles procured by Japan have even more advanced capabilities, enhancing survivability and enabling strikes against moving targets, particularly suitable for long-range anti-ship operations.

The JSM missile, which the Japan Air Self-Defense Force is also introducing, is a cruise missile with both land attack and anti-ship capabilities, with a maximum range of about 500 kilometers. When considering the operational radius of the F-35 stealth fighter, its attack range is even broader. Notably, this missile is specifically tailored for the F-35 fighter jet, referred to as the "golden partner" of the F-35, and can be fully housed in the F-35's internal weapons bay, allowing the aircraft to maintain good stealth performance while executing long-range strike missions.

"Chosun Ilbo" noted that the Japanese government also plans to deploy domestically improved Type 12 long-range anti-ship missiles in Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu Island and Shizuoka Prefecture in central Honshu, with a range of up to 1,000 kilometers. Through this move, Japan aims to gradually enhance its counterattack capability (also known as "enemy base attack capability").

Chinese Ministry of Defense spokesperson Jiang Bin previously stated in response to questions about "Japan has begun deploying long-range missiles" that for some time, Japan's right-wing forces have been accelerating their push for "remilitarization." Japan has completely torn off the disguise of "defensive defense," "passive defense," and "self-defense," fully proving that Japan's "new militarism" is not just a dangerous sign, but a blatant reality threat, seriously undermining regional peace and security. Jiang Bin warned that Japan's militaristic path is a road to self-destruction.

Singapore's "Lianhe Zaobao" on the 15th also cited comments from "Jun Zhengping Studio," stating that Japan ignores the widespread concerns of the international community, claiming that this move does not pose a threat to other countries, which is merely self-deception. The commentary stated that history has long proven that offensive weapons in the hands of Japanese militarists will only be abused without restraint, bringing severe disasters to the world's people. The international community must remain highly vigilant about Japan's dangerous trends, jointly resist its military expansionist behaviors, and resolutely safeguard the hard-won peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. (Wu Yan)