Japan's Missile Upgrades: A New Defense Game

0:00On March 31st, Japan just rolled out its first long-range missiles at a base in Kumamoto prefecture, marking a big shift in its defense game. These upgraded Type-12 land-to-ship missiles from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries give the country standoff power to hit enemy sites from far away. Moving beyond its old, strict self-defense limits, meanwhile, they also deployed a hypersonic glide vehicle for island protection at Camp Fuji, west of Tokyo. More of these Type-12 upgrades and hypersonics are coming to spots like Hokkaido, up north and Miyazaki down south by March 20th. Plus, US-made Tomahawk cruise missiles with nearly 1,000-mile range will hit Japanese destroyers starting later this year. Locals near the Kumamoto base aren't thrilled, protesting outside because they worry it'll ramp up tensions and make their area a target. Japan sees China as the top threat, especially around its southwestern islands by the East China Sea. The government's pushing hard with a record defense budget over $9 trillion in, about $58

1:03billion for next April onward, focusing on strike-back options and coastal defenses. They even set up a new office last week to track China's moves in the Pacific. Tensions spiked after statements that a Chinese move on Taiwan could pull Japan in, showing how they're gearing up to stand firm in this tough neighborhood. US News Today, powered by AI bringing you what matters nationwide.