Japan deployed its first long-range cruise missiles at a military camp, pushing the limits of the country’s pacifist stance.
The move marks a “major turning point” in Tokyo’s military policy, a Japanese newspaper wrote: The country has long maintained a strictly defensive posture, but has steadily built up military capabilities, accelerated in part by US President Donald Trump’s push for Washington’s allies to spend more on defense.
Officials said the missiles allow for a “counterstrike,” with Japan able to target far-away enemy bases. Japanese media framed the deployment as a deterrent against North Korea and China, as tensions rise between Tokyo and Beijing over a diplomatic spat related to Taiwan.