Japan Conducts First Tomahawk Missile Launch in Pacific, Putting North Korea, China, and Russia Within Range

Japan has initiated a test launch of the U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missile, which places North Korea, China, and Russia within its range. The Tomahawk is a long-range precision strike cruise missile primarily operated by the U.S. Navy, with a range of 1,600 to 2,500 kilometers.

Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force Aegis destroyer Kirishima. Japan currently possesses six Aegis destroyers and plans to build two additional ships.

According to Japan's Ministry of Defense on July 30, the Aegis destroyer Chokai of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force conducted its first-ever test launch of the Tomahawk missile in the Pacific Ocean on the afternoon of July 30, with support from the U.S. Navy.

The Ministry of Defense did not disclose specific details of the test site in the Pacific, the number of Tomahawk missiles launched, or whether the latest 'Block 5' version capable of striking moving targets was used. The ministry also withheld information regarding whether the missile target was on land or at sea, the test's assumed target range, and the actual operational deployment timeline, citing its relationship with the U.S. Navy.

At the end of 2022, Japan decided to acquire long-range missiles to secure counterstrike capability and determined to equip its eight Aegis destroyers with Tomahawk missiles. Subsequently, in January 2024, Japan signed a bulk contract with the United States for the procurement of 400 Tomahawk missiles via the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program for delivery between 2025 and 2027, and dispatched the Chokai to the U.S. to acquire practical missile operational capabilities. FMS is a system in which weapons are purchased through the government of the exporting country.

The cost of acquiring 400 Tomahawk missiles alone is reportedly 169.4 billion yen (approximately 1.517 trillion won), excluding costs associated with installing them on the Aegis destroyers. Japan has already secured the budget for the modification of five out of eight Aegis destroyers to mount Tomahawk missiles by this fiscal year, and plans to allocate the budget for the remaining three ships from the next fiscal year onward.

After completing the Tomahawk missile test launch, the destroyer Chokai is scheduled to return to the Sasebo base in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, in September.

The Ministry of Defense stated regarding this test, "It was a planned test, and while we cannot disclose the location, it will not affect other regions."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.