What Are Japan's Intentions with Long-Range Missiles? Expert Analysis

Recently, the Japanese Ministry of Defense's plan to deploy long-range missiles in Kumamoto Prefecture has sparked controversy within Japan. On the 10th, the leader of the Social Democratic Party of Japan, Mizuho Fukushima, stated that this move violates the constitution. What are the intentions behind Japan's deployment of these two types of long-range missiles at the end of this month?

Military observer Wei Dongxu: The first type is an improved version of the Type 12 anti-ship missile, with a range extended to 1,000 kilometers, primarily deployed in the southwestern direction and on the southwestern islands. It can not only strike moving targets at sea but also conduct precise fire attacks on fixed targets on land and islands. The second type of missile is the so-called high-speed glide missile for island defense, which is essentially a vehicle-mounted dual-launch hypersonic missile. However, within the technical scope of hypersonic missiles, the technological content of the product is not particularly high.

Military observer Wei Dongxu: The Japan Self-Defense Forces are developing offensive weapons with longer ranges and stronger penetration capabilities, which can be seen as a blatant breach of the principle of "defensive defense" and also a violation of the restrictions of the pacifist constitution, attempting to take preemptive action. Currently, the Japan Self-Defense Forces are also trying to engage in overseas operations or intervene in conflicts, so it cannot be ruled out that this is a relatively important weapon for their overseas deployment. It can be said that Japan's military ambitions are continuously expanding, with ongoing research and deployment of offensive weaponry, which has already had a serious impact on regional peace and stability.