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Japan is considering amassing an arsenal of more than 1,000 of its planned long-range missiles, the Yomiuri newspaper reported, citing unidentified people with knowledge of the plans. Photo: AP/File
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Japan considers deploying long-range missiles to counter China: report

  • The projectiles, which have a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometres (310 to 3,420 miles), will be deployed mainly across the Nansei Islands and Kyushu
  • Japan is seeking to close the ‘missile gap’ with China, which has about 300 sea-based and 1,900 land-based missiles, according to Yomiuri
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Japan is considering the deployment of 1,000 long-range cruise missiles to boost its counter-attack capability against China, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Sunday.

The projectiles, which have a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometres (310 to 3,420 miles), will be deployed mainly across the Nansei Islands and Kyushu, according to the article. By doing so, Japan is seeking to close the “missile gap” with China, which has about 300 sea-based and 1,900 land-based missiles, according to the newspaper.

Japan embarked on a programme a few years ago to boost its missile capabilities in the face of potential threats from China and North Korea. The latest report on the scale of a potential Japanese stockpile follows China’s recent military exercises in waters and airspace around Taiwan after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island.

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Japan is also planning to upgrade and extend the capability of its domestically produced Type 12 surface-to-ship missile deployed by the Ground Self Defense Force to hit objects more than 1,000 kilometres away, Yomiuri reported.

The arms, launched by ships or aircraft, would be stationed mainly around the southern Nansei islands and capable of reaching the coastal areas of North Korea and China, the Yomiuri said.

Representatives from Japan’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.

Japan, which interprets its war-renouncing post-war constitution to mean it may use its military only for self-defence, has stepped up its military spending and taken a more assertive strategy in recent years. But it has refrained from deploying long-range missiles, among its limits on weapons that can strike targets on foreign soil.

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