Japan conducted its first test launch of a Tomahawk cruise missile from a warship, a milestone in its efforts to deploy the weapons as part of a new military strategy of being able to hit enemy targets from long range.
The missile was launched from the destroyer JS Chokai in the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, according to the Defense Ministry.
¡°The test confirmed that the missile can be launched successfully under operational conditions, including verification of the crew¡¯s proficiency in conducting the launch,¡± the ministry said in a statement.
Tomahawk missiles are a centerpiece of Tokyo¡¯s new strategy of equipping itself with long-range strike capabilities to deter aggression from rivals such as China and North Korea. Japan has an order with the U.S. for about 400 missiles to be delivered by March 2028.
It was reported in April that the U.S. had informed Tokyo that deliveries would be disrupted because of use of the missiles in the war against Iran.
Â鶹´«Ã½ $2.35 billion order, signed in 2024, was one of the biggest from a foreign country. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said in March that the first shipment of Tomahawks had been received.
Koizumi said there were no changes to the delivery schedule for other Tomahawk missiles.
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