Japan has sent its delegation of high officials to India to explore whether it can use Indian missile testing sites to test its own weapons. This includes Japan’s new Type-25 anti-ship missile and small attack drones. General Masayoshi Arai, the top officer in Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force shared the news with reporters on Tuesday.
General Masayoshi Arai said Japan is struggling to find enough space to test its Type-25 missile safely. The missile can travel about 1,000 kilometers or about 620 miles making it difficult to carry out tests within Japan’s borders.
Arai said, We are currently examining this issue, including how to secure training environments domestically and, if necessary, how to utilize training environments overseas.
According to Japanese broadcaster NHK, officials traveled to India earlier this month and visited different test sites over about one week.
Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries developed the Type-25 missile to replace the older Type-12, which can travel only about 124 miles. Experts say the Type-25 can travel far enough to reach China’s coast and the waters around Taiwan. Its longer range could help Japan defend itself from greater distances.
Arai said officials also discussed testing small attack drones at Indian facilities. Japan plans to build a coastal defense system called SHIELD. It would use large numbers of low-cost drones that can fly in the air, move across the water, or travel underwater. These drones would help Japan monitor enemy activity and attack targets when needed.
Testing these drones in Japan comes with several challenges. Officials said the radio signals used to control them could interfere with TV broadcasts and nearby smartphones. Safety concerns and the need to coordinate with local governments make testing even more difficult.
Japan is also exploring options beyond India. In August, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi met with Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles. During the meeting, they announced plans to improve Japan’s access to missile testing sites in Australia.
Together, the India talks and the Australia agreement could give Japan more places to test its long-range weapons. Japan says these options are important as it strengthens its missile program in response to China’s growing military activity and North Korea’s advancing missile technology.
Koizumi called the idea of testing weapons like hypersonic missiles in Australia a potentially “groundbreaking development” for Japan’s military capabilities. He said both countries planned to accelerate their talks on this topic. Marles said they are working on a long-term agreement that would set rules for Japan’s use of Australian testing sites for different types of missiles over the next ten years.
Arai said Japan faces its most serious and complex security challenges since World War II. He said weapons like the Type-25 are designed to improve Japan’s ability to defend itself and discourage other countries from attacking it.
