The broader move includes fortifying southwestern islands and expanding defense capabilities despite domestic opposition.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s cabinet approved a record defense budget to fund expanded offensive and deterrent capabilities.

Amid rising tension with China, Japan is fortifying its southwestern islands and expanding defense spending to a record over 9 trillion yen for the new fiscal year, signaling a shift toward broader strike and coastal defense capabilities.

Japan has deployed upgraded Type-12 land-to-ship missiles, with a roughly 1,000-kilometer range, to Camp Kengun in Kumamoto Prefecture, enhancing deterrence and enabling a strategic standoff.

Defense Minister framed the deployment as a shift toward offensive capabilities beyond Japan’s postwar self-defense posture.

Tokyo cites recent Chinese carrier activity near disputed islands as a driver for stronger defense measures and has set up an office to study China’s Pacific operations.

The budget enables stronger strike-back capability, coastal defense, and investment in unmanned arsenals as part of Japan’s shift in defense posture.

Tensions have been sharpened by statements about potential Japanese military responses to Chinese actions concerning Taiwan, highlighting regional security recalibration.

A hypersonic glide vehicle was deployed at Camp Fuji, with further Type-12 and HGV deployments planned for Hokkaido and Miyazaki by March 2028 to bolster island defense.

The 1,000-kilometer-range Type-12 missiles, upgraded by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, expand reach to mainland China and move Japan beyond a strictly self-defensive posture.

This marks Japan’s first deployment of long-range Type-12 missiles at Camp Kengun to bolster deterrence and responsiveness in the region.

The push comes amid ongoing tensions with China, which Tokyo views as the main regional security threat, drawing protests from residents near deployment sites.