Japan is considering deploying 1,000 long-range cruise missiles to increase its counter-capabilities against China.
A Reuters report citing a Japanese daily stated that the missiles would be existing weapons upgraded to increase their range from 100 km (62 miles) to 1,000 km.
According to the Yomiuri newspaper, the weapons, which might be fired from ships or airplanes, would be positioned mostly near the southern Nansei islands and be capable of reaching China’s and North Korea’s coastal regions.
Japan’s Foreign Ministry representatives did not respond to the request for comment on the report immediately.
According to Reuters, Japan has increased its military spending and adopted a more assertive stance in recent years.
The country views its post-war constitution, which forbade war, to mean that it may only deploy its military for self-defense. Japan has till now not engaged in deployment of long-range missiles, among its limits on weapons that can attack foreign soil.
Regional tensions have gone up after the visit of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan. China launched missiles near Taiwan and into Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
