Japan Self-Defense Force

Japan Awards $2.8B in Contracts for New Standoff Weapons

Type 12 Anti-ship missile

Japan’s Ministry of Defense signed four contracts worth a total of $2.83 billion last week with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) for its standoff defense capability project, according to a Tuesday statement.

The standoff defense capability project is expected to provide the Japan Self Defense Forces (SDF) with long-range strike capabilities against ships and amphibious forces invading Japan, particularly at its remote islands, such as the disputed Senkaku islands...

https://news.usni.org/2023/04/12/japan-awards-2-8b-in-contracts-for-new-standoff-weapons

U.S. Marines, Japan Self Defense Force Kick Off Iron Fist Exercise in Western Pacific

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Matthew Danner, commanding officer of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, right, and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Col. Yoshikazu Nishida, the commanding officer of the 1st Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment, left, visit U.S. Marines with Battalion Landing Team 1/4, 31st MEU, conducting defensive posturing for Iron Fist 23 at Hijudai, Japan, Feb. 19, 2023. US Marine Corps

The U.S Marine Corps and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) began the bilateral Iron Fist...

https://news.usni.org/2023/02/19/u-s-marines-japan-self-defense-force-kick-off-iron-fist-exercise-in-western-pacific

Japan Considering Buying Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles as ‘Counterstrike’ Capability, Say Reports

USS Monterey (CG 61) fires a Tomahawk land attack missile April 13, 2018 against land targets in Syria. US Navy Photo

The Japanese government is considering buying Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles from the United States to establish a “counterstrike” capability to deter enemy missile attacks, according to domestic press reports.
The Japanese Self-Defense Forces could deploy Tomahawks faster than its own domestically produced long-range cruise missiles, according to public broadcaster NHK.

The...

https://news.usni.org/2022/11/28/japan-considering-buying-tomahawk-land-attack-missiles-as-counterstrike-capability-say-reports

Chinese Carrier Liaoning Strike Group Steaming Near Japan, Says MoD

Chinese ships operate off the coast of Japan on May 2, 2022. Japanese MoD Images

The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) dispatched an eight-ship carrier group, led by the carrier CNS Liaoning (16) and accompanied by five destroyers, a frigate and a replenishment ship, into the Pacific Ocean via transit of the Miyako Strait Monday, marking the first time since December 2021 that the carrier has operated in the area.

The Joint Staff Office (JSO) of the Japan Self Defense Force (JSDF) issued a...

https://news.usni.org/2022/05/03/chinese-carrier-liaoning-strike-group-steaming-near-japan-says-mod

Russian, Chinese Ships Steaming Near Japan as Carrier Lincoln Operates Near Korea

An E-2D Advanced Hawkeye landing aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72). US Navy Photo

KULA LUMPUR – Three Russian warships and three Russian civilian vessels transited the Tsushima Straits on Tuesday, while a Chinese surveillance ship sailed from the East China Sea into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, according to releases posted on Wednesday by the Joint Staff Office of the Japan Self-Defense Force.

The three Russian Navy ships are destroyer RFS Admiral Panteleyev (548), an Altay-class...

https://news.usni.org/2022/04/21/russian-chinese-ships-steaming-near-japan-as-carrier-lincoln-operates-near-korea

Japan Monitoring Russian and Chinese Military Activity in Sea of Japan, Defense Minister Says

Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Arthur Renteria, from Carson, California, stands starboard life buoy watch on the fantail aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) as Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Murasame-class destroyer JS Inazuma (DD 105) sails in formation during a U.S.-Japan bilateral exercise in the Sea of Japan on April 12, 2022. U.S. Navy Photo

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Japan is monitoring the increased Russian and Chinese military activity around its...

https://news.usni.org/2022/04/15/japan-monitoring-russian-and-chinese-military-activity-in-sea-of-japan-defense-minister-says

Japanese MoD Voices Concern Over Russian Naval Exercises

Russian and Chinese ships were spotted by the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force. Photos courtesy of the Japanese Joint Staff Office

Japan’s defense minister raised concerns about Russia’s recent naval activities in the Sea of Japan, citing the size of the exercise and increased tension with Ukraine.

In a press conference on Tuesday, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi announced a release by the Joint Staff Office (JSO) of the Japan Self Defense Force (JSDF) stating that Japan has tracked a...

https://news.usni.org/2022/02/16/japanese-mod-voices-concern-over-russian-naval-exercises

Chinese Carrier Group Drills in Pacific Ocean; Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group Wraps Up Exercise with Australia

China’s aircraft carrier Liaoning takes part in a military drill of Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy in the western Pacific Ocean, April 18, 2018. PLA Photo

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – A six-ship People’s Liberation Army Navy carrier group led by aircraft carrier Liaoning (16) is currently operating in the Pacific Ocean, according to releases from the Japanese military.

The PLAN carrier group featuring Liaoning, destroyer Nanchang (101), a Luyang III-class destroyer, frigate Rizhao (598)...

https://news.usni.org/2021/12/22/chinese-carrier-group-drills-in-pacific-ocean-carl-vinson-carrier-strike-group-wraps-up-exercise-with-australia

U.S. Begins Joint Exercise in Japan with French and Australian Navies

American, Japanese, French and Australian commanders salute their respective flags during the opening ceremony for exercise Jeanne D’Arc 21, in Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Japan, May 11th, 2021. ARC-21 is an opportunity for US, French, Japanese, and Australian forces to share experiences, tactics, and best practices to sharpen their skills together. US Marine Corps Photo

The United States, Japan, France and Australia began their joint training exercise Jeanne D’Arc 21 in the Indo-Pacific region this...

https://news.usni.org/2021/05/13/u-s-begins-joint-exercise-in-japan-with-french-and-australian-navies