US and ally signal possible missile deployment on China’s doorstep

A visit by the Japanese army to the United States has signaled its possible deployment of an American long-range, hypersonic missile unit in home territory, to counter China.

Newsweek has reached out to the Pentagon for comment by email. The Chinese Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to a written request from Newsweek for comment.

Why It Matters

The U.S. Army has expressed interest in operating its Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF), which hosts the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) and the midrange Capability (MRC) missile systems, out of Japan. An MRC is currently deployed in the Philippines.

Japan, which has signed a security treaty with the U.S. and hosted American forces, is part of the first island chain, a U.S. defense concept that seeks to leverage allied and friendly territories to constrain military activities by adversaries in the Western Pacific Ocean.

What To Know

General Yasunori Morishita, the chief of staff of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, visited the U.S. from February 21 to 28. He discussed security in the Indo-Pacific region and defense cooperation with General Randy George, the chief of staff of the U.S. Army.

The Japanese general also visited America’s First Corps, which serves as the U.S. Army’s operational headquarters for the Indo-Pacific region. Two ground-based missile launchers were displayed during the visit, a photo released on Saturday by the Japanese army shows.

According to Masashi Murano, senior fellow with the Hudson Institute’s Japan Chair, one of the launchers was the MRC, also known as Typhon. It is capable of firing the 290-mile range of the Standard Missile-6 and the 1,000-mile range of the Tomahawk cruise missile.

The other launcher was the 1,725-mile range of the LRHW, also known as Dark Eagle. It is armed with two hypersonic missiles, which are capable of flying more than 3,800 miles per hour and being maneuverable, making it difficult for enemies to detect and intercept.

Both the Typhon and Dark Eagle would play an important role in regional security if they were deployed in Japan, Murano told Newsweek. They would be a complement to Japan’s improved Type 12 anti-ship missile and Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile missile as well.

“Ship attack-capable cruise missiles could threaten Chinese naval vessels,” said Murano, while hypersonic missiles could threaten “critical command centers and communication nodes” in China or valuable, specialized Chinese aircraft parked on runways or in shelters.

In the early stages of a conflict over Taiwan, a self-governed island claimed by China, it is highly likely that airfields in Japan would be under heavy Chinese attacks, while U.S. and Japanese destroyers would focus on air and missile defense missions, Murano explained.

“Therefore, a launch option other than air-launched or sea-launched, i.e, a survivable, mobile ground-launched missile, is needed,” he added. Japanese media reported last year that the U.S. and Japan drew up a joint operation plan for a possible Taiwan emergency.

What People Are Saying

The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday: “We exchanged strategic insights on the evolving security landscape in the Indo-Pacific region and also deliberated on underscoring the critical importance of defense cooperation between [Japan Ground Self-Defense Force] and U.S. Army for assuring their mutual commitment to deepening bilateral ties and further fortifying the strategic alliance.”

Masashi Murano, senior fellow with the Hudson Institute’s Japan Chair, said in an email to Newsweek on Sunday: “Ground-launched missiles can also reassure allies as a sign of commitment in that they cannot be easily retreated out of the theater. Also, ground-launched missiles can be reloaded in a shorter time than air-launched or sea-launched missiles.”

What Happens Next

It remains to be seen whether the U.S. Army will deploy the Typhon to Japan, in addition to the one in the Philippines. The two U.S. allies form the first island chain with Taiwan.