For the first time since the creation of its Self-Defense Forces, Japan is set to carry out a live-fire long-range missile exercise within its own borders, marking a significant shift in its national defense doctrine. Scheduled between June 19 and 30, 2025, the drill will take place at the coastal missile range adjacent to Camp Shizunai in Shinhidaka, on the southern coast of Hokkaido. This area, located near the Sea of Okhotsk and the Tsugaru Strait, holds strategic value not only due to its proximity to Russia but also for its control over northeastern maritime routes. The announcement reported by Asahi was made by the Ministry of Defense on May 13 and 14, confirming that two non-explosive Type 88 training missiles will be launched on separate days at a maritime target located within a 40-kilometer radius southwest of the launch site. The Type 88, or 88式地対艦誘導弾 (SSM-1), is a ground-launched anti-ship missile developed entirely in Japan, based on the ASM-1 air-to-ship missile created in the late 1970s. Introduced into operational service in 1988, the Type 88 follows a doctrine adapted to Japan’s geographic constraints: it is designed to be deployed more than 100 kilometers inland to avoid preemptive strikes by enemy naval forces attempting an amphibious landing. Unlike other coastal-based missiles such as the Exocet or Harpoon, the Type 88 follows a complex preprogrammed path, allowing it to bypass terrain features, cross mountainous areas, and reach the sea at low altitude before acquiring its target with a terminal active radar seeker operating in the Ku band.

Full report : Japan to Test Type 88 Long Range Missile on Home Soil to Strengthen Deterrence Against China.