Japan Unveils Type 12 Surface-to-Ship Missile at Fuji Firepower Exercise
During the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s annual Fuji Firepower Exercise at Higashi-Fuji (Shizuoka Prefecture), the JGSDF publicly unveiled its new long-range coastal defense missile system. At the largest live-fire drill of the year, this debut introduced the upgraded Type 12 Surface-to-Ship Missile (12SSM) launcher vehicle and is part of Japan’s push to enhance its “counterstrike” coastal defenses. Among the equipment shown “for the first time” was an improved Type 12 missile with a strike range exceeding 1,000 kilometers. These enhancements reflect Japan’s focus on deterring regional threats and holding distant adversary ships at risk.
The new launcher vehicle is built on a high-mobility wheeled 8×8 chassis. It carries a large canisterized pod of missile tubes for quick salvo launches. Reports describe eight rectangular launch tubes arranged in two rows on the platform. The TEL (transporter-erector-launcher) has deployable stabilizers, an armored crew cabin, and integrated fire-control systems, giving it accuracy and crew protection during operations. Mass production of this vehicle began in 2023, and by 2025 the plan is to field it in multiple regiments across Japan, from Hokkaido down to Okinawa.
Japan Ministry of Defense)
The Type 12 missile itself is a new-generation anti-ship cruise missile with a sleek, radar-reducing airframe. In upgraded form, its range is roughly 1,000km which is about five times the original Type 12’s 200km range and enables it to strike well beyond Japan’s shores. This extended range lets the JGSDF strike warships and bases from outside the enemy’s range. The missile uses an inertial navigation system with mid-course GPS updates and a terminal active radar seeker (Ka-band AESA) for precision homing on moving targets. The 12SSM allows coastal forces to engage threats well before they arrive. By distributing mobile launchers across Japan’s archipelago, the JGSDF can cover key sea lanes (such as the Miyako Strait) and contest access by hostile fleets. The 1,000-km reach means Chinese warships or bases could be threatened from Japanese-held islands, bolstering anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) strategies.
Just last week Japan test fired an older Type 88 surface-to-ship missile from the Shizunai Firing Range on the island of Hokkaido. This marked the first time Japan had conducts a live-fire missile test from its territory. For future testing of the Type 12 Japan intends to construct a firing range at the island of Minamitorishima.
The Fuji Firepower 2025 showcase of the enhanced Type 12 launcher and missiles highlights Japan’s commitment to modernizing its coastal defenses. This long-range and anti-ship mobile system represents a shift toward more proactive deterrence. The JGSDF gains a powerful new tool to safeguard the nation’s waters and maintain security in a challenging regional environment by deploying stealthy 1,000-km missiles on wheeled launchers.