China Says Nuclear Submarine Launched Strategic Missile into Pacific; Japan Expresses Concern

The Chinese military announced on July 6 that a nuclear-powered submarine of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy conducted a test launch of a strategic missile toward the Pacific Ocean.

Wang Xuemeng, a spokesperson for the PLA Navy, stated via social media that at 12:01 p.m. (local time) that day, a strategic nuclear submarine successfully launched one submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) equipped with a mock training warhead into the high seas of the Pacific Ocean, and that it landed precisely in the designated area.

Wang added, "This missile test launch is a routine part of China's annual military training and relevant countries were notified in advance," noting that "it is in accordance with international law and international practice and is not aimed at any specific country or target."

The Chinese military did not disclose the specifications of the missile launched that day or its exact impact point.

The Chinese military previously announced that it had test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the high seas of the Pacific Ocean in September 2024.

That was the first time China had launched an ICBM toward the Pacific in 44 years, since the Dongfeng-5 in 1980.

In 2024, the Chinese military announced only the fact of the launch immediately after it took place, and released photos of the launch on social media the following day.

The missile in the photos was presumed to be the Dongfeng-31 AG, which is capable of striking the U.S. mainland.

This latest SLBM test by China is the first strategic missile test aimed at the Pacific in one year and 10 months since the ICBM launch in 2024.

Local media reported that the Japanese government requested a reconsideration of the launch after receiving prior notification, asking that it not threaten Japan's safety.

Furthermore, it was reported that the Japanese government conveyed serious concerns regarding the increasing activity of the Chinese military.

According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei), the Chinese Ministry of National Defense notified the Japanese Embassy in Beijing of the ballistic missile test launch at approximately 11:30 a.m. that day.

In relation to this, Chinese authorities also provided information to the Japan Coast Guard the previous day regarding the establishment of a space debris drop zone south of Shionomisaki in Wakayama Prefecture, the southernmost cape of Honshu.

Although it was reported that the designated area included parts of Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), a Japanese government official told Kyodo News that the impact point appeared to be outside of Japan's EEZ.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, the government spokesperson, stated during a regular briefing that there was no confirmation of the missile passing over Japanese territory or its EEZ, nor any damage to Japanese aircraft or vessels. However, he pointed out, "Such military trends by China are a matter of serious concern for Japan and the international community due to a lack of transparency."

He also explained that while he would refrain from making definitive comments on the intent behind China's prior notification, the government would focus its efforts on surveillance and monitoring, including gathering and analyzing relevant information, while continuing communication with the Chinese side.

As Japan's expression of concern and criticism from related countries continued, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that this missile launch was a routine military exercise and warned against overinterpretation.

Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular briefing, "The relevant launch activities were conducted in accordance with safety norms and professional procedures throughout," and urged that "relevant countries should not overinterpret this."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.