Japan will deploy the Sort 12 Floor-to-Ship Missile and the Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile to bases within the north, central and southern areas between 2025 and 2027.
Japan’s Ministry of Protection (MoD) introduced on Aug. 29, 2025, its plans to formally deploy upgraded Sort-12 and Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile (HVGP) long-range stand-off missiles between 2025 and 2027, as part of what has been described as a counterstrike functionality. The announcement got here within the run as much as China’s Victory Day Parade, and a basic upgunning by Japan.
As a part of this effort, Japan is shopping for standoff weapons just like the U.S.-made AGM-158 JASSM, which could be deployed from the Japan Air Self-Protection Power (JASDF) F-35s and F-15s. Moreover, in Jan. 2024, Tokyo ordered 400 BGM-109 Tomahawk Land Assault Missiles (TLAM) for the JMSDF’s (Japan Maritime Self-Protection Power) warships.
Then, in April, the MoD additionally contracted Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to develop a brand new long-range floor to ship/floor to floor precision missile. These efforts come alongside Japan’s participation within the sixth technology GCAP program, and enhancing collaboration with participant nations U.Ok. and Italy to agency up its fifth-generation F-35B Lightning II functionality.
Within the not too long ago concluded Talisman Sabre multinational train in Australia, the Japan Floor Self-Protection Power’s (JGSDF) 2nd Artillery Brigade additionally live-fired the older Sort 12 SSM off its east coast, stated the Australian Division of Protection on Jul. 23. The HVGP is what we concluded, in a Jul. 2024 report, was a Hypersonic Glide Automobile (HGV)-type weapon, after it was examined in California in March 2024.
Japan’s first domestically produced short-range ballistic missile (with MaRV) aka Hyper Velocity Glide Projectile/HVGP. pic.twitter.com/vPb4t2Ons4
— Masashi MURANO🚀 (@show_murano) February 7, 2025
To help the buildup, Japan is boosting army spending to 2% of GDP by 2027, from an earlier degree of about 1%. “The MoD has requested a document 8.8 trillion yen ($59.9 billion) within the fiscal 2026 finances to give attention to long-range missiles and drones earlier than China, North Korea, and Russia,” stated the Related Press.
Missile deployments
Whereas the MoD has neither explicitly recognized the missiles nor revealed the areas the place they might be based mostly, Japanese experiences have printed illustrated maps exhibiting bases within the north, central and southern areas, in addition to the kind of weapon they might host. The Asahi Shimbun stated Camp Kumifurano within the Hokkaido Prefecture – within the north of the nation – will host the HVGP by 2026.
Within the eastern-central area, Hyakuri Air Base within the Ibaraki Prefecture, which already hosts F-2 fighters, will obtain the brand new Sort-12 by 2027. The weapon may also be put in on the JMSDF’s destroyer JS Teruzuki, based mostly at Kanagawa naval base, by 2027, whereas between 2025 and 2027 each the Sort-12 and the HVGP can be delivered to Camp Fuji within the Shizuoka prefecture “for coaching functions,” TAS added.
UPDATED: On August 29, Japan’s Ministry of Protection introduced the deployment places of improved Sort 12 surface-to-ship missiles, in addition to their Hyper Velocity Glide Projectiles (HVGP).
Beneath is a TSM map showcasing these places and the utmost vary of these missiles.… pic.twitter.com/Mut0MmsFDb
— Taiwan Safety Monitor (@TaiwanMonitor) August 31, 2025
In the meantime, southern Japan bases – together with Camp Kengun within the Kumamoto Prefecture and Camp Ebino in Miyazaki – will obtain the Sort-12 and HVGP respectively between 2025 and 2026. This means that the Sort-12 has ship- and air-launched variations, being already included within the Engineering Manufacturing Improvement (EMD) stage, reflecting the appreciable planning and foresight.
Lastly, this additionally suggests the road-mobile HVGP has neared completion, provided that the declared deployments are very shut. This was first evident within the sudden announcement of the missile’s take a look at in California in March 2024, the place the placement exterior Japan might have been chosen to keep away from attracting surveillance consideration from North Korea and China.
A Feb. 7, 2020, press launch from Japan’s MoD introduced the primary take a look at launch by Aug. 25, 2024, which clearly moved as much as March that yr. The opposite dates launched had been Nov. 2, Nov. 23 and Jan. 25, 2025, however it isn’t clear if these trials have taken place.
U.S. assist with Japanese hypersonic weapon
The U.S. assist in growing the venture was additional revealed in a March 2025 DSCA discover about “Japan – Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectiles Functionality Assist” beneath a International Navy Sale (FMS). The $200 million contract coated HVGP undisclosed associated tools and providers, together with “take a look at preparation, take a look at and transportation help.”
The DSCA discover stated “The proposed sale will enhance Japan’s functionality to fulfill present and future threats by offering protection to distant islands.”
🇺🇸🇯🇵 The US State Division has authorized a attainable International Navy Sale to Japan of kit and providers in help of its indigenous Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectiles (HVGP) functionality, for an estimated price of $200 million.
Gear and providers could be offered by the… pic.twitter.com/CisqG6pUbE
— Colby Badhwar 🇨🇦🇬🇧 (@ColbyBadhwar) March 10, 2025
The preparation for the take a look at in California, presumably coated by the FMS, might need concerned funds in direction of the ability, presumably Vandenberg Area Power Base, which could have offered transport, storage, launch, take a look at vary restoration, radar and telemetry monitoring. The bottom already hosted an analogous take a look at of the U.S. Military-U.S. Navy’s collaborative Frequent Hypersonic Glide Physique (CHGB) in December 2024 for the previous’s Lengthy-Vary Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW).
Nonetheless, it’s unclear whether or not the DSCA discover was for the March 2024 take a look at of the Japanese hypersonic weapon or one other upcoming take a look at. However, the cooperation between the West and its Asian allies earlier than China is taking form steadily. As TAS added, “the event of the home missiles went off with no hitch.”
One other idea rendering of the HVGP based mostly on Japan MoD procurement plans, shared by protection and arms analyst Colby Badhwar, confirmed the missile has one other Enhanced variant included in its Stage 2 section, with a extra optimized hypersonic entrance part, deliberate to be fielded by 2028 or later. Each missiles are supposed to goal distant islands and plane carriers.
Hypersonic weapons of the HGV-type are launched by a booster rocket simply near the Earth’s ambiance and, as a substitute of exiting it utterly in a parabolic trajectory, they journey simply beneath its limits. They’re able to altering their instructions mid-flight, making interception by present technology air protection programs extraordinarily troublesome. TAS places the vary of the missile at roughly 1,000 km.
Hurdles
The report additionally famous potential obstacles, together with “acquiring the consent of native communities near the bases the place the missiles can be deployed.”
The explanation could be that “the counterstrike functionality marks a radical departure from the solely defensive posture taken by Japan all through the postwar period and was solely made attainable by the revision of nationwide safety paperwork in 2022,” TAS stated.
3…2…1…Blast off!
The Second Artillery Brigade of the Japan Floor Self-Protection Power launched a Sort 12 Floor-to-Ship Missile at 📍 Beecroft Weapons Vary, NSW throughout Train Talisman Sabre 2025.#YourADF #StrongerTogether #TS25 #TalismanSabre25 @JGSDF_pr @jointstaffpa pic.twitter.com/K3An0RMRmp
— Defence Australia (@DefenceAust) July 22, 2025
One other problem for the SDFs could be redistributing its ammunition depots, which have been concentrated in Hokkaido because the Chilly Struggle. The surging price of semiconductors can also be a priority.
Lastly, the SDF must depend on the USA for focusing on data, since solely Washington has the airborne and satellite tv for pc ISR functionality to help missiles at 1,000 km ranges.
