A statement from the Foreign Ministry’s Institute of Japanese Affairs asserts that Tokyo’s plan to station these missiles in southwestern Japan, under the guise of acquiring “preemptive strike capability,” is concerning. The statement highlights that a modified Type 12 ground-to-sea missile, with a range of nearly 1,000 kilometers, could reach both the DPRK and mainland China.

Furthermore, Japan intends to deploy hypersonic and fast glide missiles, along with a new 3,000-kilometer range missile by 2026, and has approved purchasing medium-range air-to-air and long-range air-to-ground missiles from the US.

The DPRK views these developments as a continuation of Japan’s revised “national security strategy” since 2022, exposing its militaristic ambitions and desire for revenge stemming from its World War II defeat.

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