Japan announced on the 30th that it has conducted its first test launch of U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles, which can put North Korea, China, and Russia within range, using an Aegis destroyer in the Pacific Ocean.

The Tomahawk is a premier long-range precision-strike cruise missile operated by the U.S. Navy, with a range of 1,600 to 2,500 kilometers.

According to Japan's Ministry of Defense, the Maritime Self-Defense Force Aegis destroyer Chokai carried out the Tomahawk test launch in the Pacific waters on the 29th (local time on the 28th) with support from the U.S. Navy.

The Chokai is the Maritime Self-Defense Force's first vessel equipped to operate Tomahawks, marking the first time Japan has actually conducted a live-firing test of Tomahawk missiles.

The Ministry of Defense explained that the test confirmed actual firing capabilities, including the crew's proficiency related to Tomahawk launches.

However, authorities did not disclose the specific location in the Pacific where the test launch took place, the number of Tomahawk missiles fired, or whether the latest Block V model with moving-target striking capabilities was deployed.

They also remained tight-lipped regarding whether the missile target was land or sea, the range assumed in the test launch, and the actual operational deployment timeline, citing relations with the U.S. Navy.

The Japanese Ministry of Defense stated that the U.S. military supported the launch by providing the test waters, controlling access for aircraft and vessels, and monitoring the test launch.

Having completed the Tomahawk missile test launch, the Chokai is scheduled to return to the Sasebo base in Nagasaki Prefecture around September.

The Japanese Ministry of Defense noted that the Chokai's test launch demonstrates that the country's Tomahawk acquisition project is progressing, and added that it will build up "standoff" defense capabilities—allowing it to strike enemies from outside their range—at an early date.

In late 2022, Japan decided to introduce long-range missiles to secure "counterstrike capabilities," deciding to equip eight of its Aegis destroyers with Tomahawks.

The Japanese government subsequently signed a bulk contract in January 2024 through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program to procure 400 Tomahawks between 2025 and 2027, and dispatched the Chokai to the United States to acquire actual missile operational capabilities.

Arms imports are divided into methods such as Direct Commercial Sales (DCS), where the importing country contracts directly with a defense contractor, and Foreign Military Sales (FMS), where purchases are made through the exporting country's government.

The cost of purchasing 400 Tomahawk missiles alone is known to be 169.4 billion yen (approximately 1.5165 trillion won), an amount that excludes costs incurred during the Aegis destroyer integration process.

The Japanese government's policy is to secure 200 of the 400 Tomahawks using budgets for fiscal years 2025 to 2027, and another 200 of the latest Block V missiles using budgets for fiscal years 2026 to 2027.

Budget allocations for modifying five out of the eight Aegis destroyers to carry Tomahawks have been secured through this year's budget, with plans to secure budgets for the remaining three vessels from next year onward.

Regarding speculation that the test was mindful of China, which recently test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) into the open waters of the Pacific, and its potential to heighten military tensions in East Asia, the Ministry of Defense stated, "This was a scheduled test. While we cannot disclose the location of the test, it does not impact other regions."

(Photo: Yonhap News)