US to send Typhon, Himars missile systems to Japan for drills amid China tensions

Lead

The United States military will deploy its Typhon midrange missile launcher and Himars rocket system to southwestern Japan next month for joint exercises with the Self-Defence Forces, according to sources familiar with the matter as reported by the South China Morning Post. The systems will be placed at the Maritime Self-Defence Force's Kanoya Airbase in Kagoshima prefecture during the Valiant Shield and Orient Shield exercises between June and September, the sources said.

The deployment is temporary and for training purposes only, with the Typhon system set to be removed from Kanoya Air Base by mid-October, according to a press release from the Japanese Embassy to Moscow cited by TASS. After the exercises, the systems will move to a US military base in Japan for storage, and no live-fire drills are planned, the Japanese defence ministry said.

Coverage Comparison

The announcement was covered by the South China Morning Post and Russia's state news agency TASS, which drew on official statements from Japan, China, and Russia. The South China Morning Post framed the deployment as a deterrent move aimed at China, while TASS reports highlighted the reactions from Beijing and Moscow. All sources agreed on the core facts of the temporary deployment and the timeline of the exercises.

Key Claims

• Temporary Deployment: The US and Japan will conduct joint exercises from June 22 to July 1 (Valiant Shield 26) and in September (Orient Shield 26), during which the US Army's Typhon missile system will be deployed to Kanoya Air Base. The deployment is temporary, and the system will be removed by mid-October, as stated by the Japanese Embassy to Moscow.

• System Capabilities: The Typhon launcher can fire Tomahawk cruise missiles with a range of about 1,600 km and SM-6 interceptor missiles with a range exceeding 300 km. The Himars system can carry up to six rockets or one Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) with a range of about 300 km, according to the South China Morning Post.

• No Live-Fire Drills: No live-fire drills are planned during the exercises, according to the Japanese defence ministry, as reported by the South China Morning Post.

• China's Opposition: China firmly opposes the US deployment of intermediate-range missile systems in Japan, calling the Typhon system a "strategic offensive weapon" that harms the legitimate security interests of other countries and escalates military confrontation, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Guo Jiakun as reported by TASS.

• Russia's Warning: Russia views the joint US-Japan drills as a threat to its interests and regional security. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned Japan that Moscow would regard such moves as "deliberate and hostile," and stated that Russia no longer considers itself bound by the moratorium on land-based intermediate- and shorter-range missiles, as reported by TASS.

Perspectives

United States and Japan: The deployment is framed as a training exercise and a demonstration of the US-Japan alliance's capability to respond to regional security challenges, with an emphasis on deterrence. Officials stress the temporary nature of the deployment.

China: Beijing sees the deployment as a strategic provocation that threatens regional stability and accelerates Japan's remilitarization. Chinese officials call for Washington and Tokyo to abandon the plans.

Russia: Moscow regards the drills as a direct threat to its far-eastern borders and warns of unspecified military countermeasures. Russia's statement that it no longer feels bound by the missile moratorium signals a potential escalation in the region.

Note: This article synthesizes reports from the South China Morning Post and TASS as of the reporting dates. Further developments may have occurred since.