Japan Fires Missiles on Foreign Soil for First Time Since WWII
The drill involved more than 17,000 troops and marked Japan’s first overseas firing of the Type-88 missile, officials said.
- On Wednesday, Japanese troops launched two Type-88 surface-to-ship missiles from Culili Point in Paoay, Philippines, sinking a decommissioned Philippine navy vessel roughly 50 miles offshore during the annual Balikatan exercise.
- This event marked the first time Japan fired the truck-mounted Type-88 system outside its territory, demonstrating Tokyo's expanding military role and deepening security cooperation with allies amid rising regional tensions.
- The target vessel, the BRP Quezon, was originally commissioned as the USS Vigilance in 1944; American, Canadian, and Philippine forces deployed air-defense and antiship systems alongside aerial support.
- Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro watched the drill alongside Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, telling reporters, "Relationship. It is something we can cooperate with in future."
- Teodoro indicated that future Balikatan exercises would likely expand in scale and incorporate additional partners, focusing on military contingencies and disaster response operations to strengthen regional security.
65 Articles
65 Articles
WPS: China rebukes Japan over missile drills near PH, Taiwan
PAOAY, Philippines — China was angered after Japan fired surface-to-ship missiles and sank an old warship in waters between the Philippines and Taiwan during large-scale military exercises involving US forces. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has accelerated Japan’s shift towards a more muscular defense policy, further casting off — with US encouragement — Tokyo’s pacifist stance in place since the end of World War II. The firing on Wednesday of tw…
Japan fires missiles in Philippines drills near Taiwan, drawing China backlash
PAOAY (Philippines), May 7 — Japan fired surface-to-ship missiles and sank an old warship in waters between the Philippines and Taiwan as part of major military exercises that include US forces, angering China.Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has accelerated Japan’s shift towards a more muscular defence policy, further casting off — with US encouragement — Tokyo’s pacifist stance in place since the end of World War II.The firing on Wednesday of two…
Daily Journal
Japan fires missiles during drills, drawing China rebuke
Japan fired surface-to-ship missiles and sank an old warship in waters between the Philippines and Taiwan as part of major military exercices that include US forces, angering China.
Japan fires missile in joint drill with U.S., allies in Philippines, facing South China Sea
Japan's Self-Defense Forces fired a Type 88 anti‑ship missile during a joint maritime exercise with U.S., Australian, and Philippine forces on Wednesday, hitting a decommissioned Philippine Navy ship…
Japan fires Type 88 missile, sinks PH Navy ship
PAOAY, Ilocos Norte — Japanese forces for the first time fired its Type 88 surface-to-ship missile (SSM-1) in the Philippines - a highlight of the Joint Task Force Maritime Strike (Marstrike) activity held off the coast of Paoay, Ilocos Norte on Wednesday (May 6) as part of Exercise Balikatan 41-2026.Together with the Philippines, United States and Canada, the allied forces simultaneously struck and sunk decommissioned Philippine Navy ship BRP Q…
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