appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Hayley Wong

China’s military has accused Japan of undermining regional security after it tested new long-range anti-ship and hypersonic missiles.
A commentary published by the military mouthpiece People’s Liberation Army Daily on Wednesday said that the extended range of missiles would be “a real deterrent to multiple surrounding areas”.
It also argued that the increased ability to strike long-range targets was “breaking the restrictions of the pacifist constitution that the Japanese Self-Defence Forces cannot possess offensive weapons”. The constitution was imposed after Japan’s defeat in the second world war.
The missiles were tested as part of an annual live-fire drill near Mount Fuji on Sunday.
The upgraded Type 12 surface-to-ship missiles and hypersonic Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile (HVGP) will be deployed in Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands, while the HVGP may also be stationed in Hokkaido in the north, according to Japanese media reports.
PLA Daily said the choice of location, which avoided “sensitive” segments of the first island chain such as Okinawa, was designed to minimise international criticism of Japan’s military expansion.
“In fact, rather than enhancing its defence capabilities, Japan has been leaping toward ‘first strike capabilities’ in the name of building so-called ‘counter strike capabilities’,” the article said.
“If this ‘beggar-thy-neighbour’ confrontational logic is allowed to spread, it will ultimately affect the prospects for peaceful development in the entire region.”
The first island chain is a strategically important series of archipelagos that also includes mainland Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines, and the PLA Navy would have to pass through the chain to extend its operations.
The new Type 12 surface-to-ship missiles have a range of some 1,000km (600 miles) while the HVGP Block 1 has a range of 900km and can travel at speeds greater than Mach 5.


The HVGP – described by Tokyo as a “island defence” system – is widely regarded by defence analysts as Japan’s first de facto ballistic missile, and represents a broader shift toward bolstering its deterrence capabilities.
The HVGP programme was first disclosed in a defence white paper in 2018, with Block 1 expected to be deployed next year.
Japan is also developing two enhanced versions of HVGP – Block 2A and Block 2B – which have a range of up to 2,000km and 3,000km, respectively. Block 2A is expected to be developed by 2027 and Block 2B in 2030.
The Type 12 missile has undergone a series of upgrades that have steadily expanded its range. The latest version also underwent a series of tests last year, and is expected to be deployed next year.
The two truck-mounted systems are eventually expected to be used to fortify the Ryukyu Islands, which include Okinawa – a strategically vital area due to its proximity to Taiwan.
Tensions near the Taiwan Strait have been rising in recent years with the PLA carrying out regular large-scale drills.
Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory, to be reunited by force if necessary. Most countries, including Japan, do not recognise the island as an independent state, but it is opposed to any unilateral change to the status quo.


Warning against Japan’s military build-up surfaces at Beijing Xiangshan conference

Japan’s Natuna port proposal highlights Indonesia’s balancing act on China

How will the Okinawa governor’s race result reshape China’s local messaging?

How Okinawa’s political shift could make Japan more prepared for a Taiwan contingency

China-Japan relations

China’s military says Japan ‘breaching pacifist constitution’ with long-range missile tests

A Type 12 anti-ship missile launch vehicle takes part in Sunday’s training exercise near Mount Fuji.
Photo: Handout

Civilian group hosts Taiwan tabletop simulation of attack from mainland China

A two-day tabletop war game focused on the defence of Taiwan against an attack from the Chinese mainland  started on Tuesday. Photo: AP

China and Japan must overcome mutual hostility while also handling Trump’s tariffs: envoy

Japanese ambassador to Beijing Kenji Kanasugi has told students and academics at Renmin University in Beijing  that Japan-China ties are “on a stable trajectory” despite “various challenges and unresolved issues”. Photo: CNA

News

China

Military

Official PLA newspaper attacks Tokyo’s increased ability to strike long-range targets and its ‘beggar-thy-neighbour’ approach to security


Official PLA newspaper attacks Tokyo’s increased ability to strike long-range targets and its ‘beggar-thy-neighbour’ approach to security.


Taiwan

Japan

China’s military says Japan ‘breaching pacifist constitution’ with long-range missile tests

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Official PLA newspaper attacks Tokyo’s increased ability to strike long-range targets and its ‘beggar-thy-neighbour’ approach to security

Official PLA newspaper attacks Tokyo’s increased ability to strike long-range targets and its ‘beggar-thy-neighbour’ approach to security