Japan is preparing for an unprecedented step in its post-war military policy: the first time Japan will conduct exercises using Type 88 anti-ship missiles on its soil. The site for the practice firings has been chosen to be the Shinhidaka range in southeastern Hokkaido, strategically located near Russia's Kuril Islands and sea lanes controlled by China. The maneuvers, scheduled for June 2025 and reported by NHK, are seen as a signal to Russia and China as they bolster their military presence in the Pacific region.

According to Avia.pro, the exercises with Type 88 missiles, capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 180 km, will be the first in the history of Japan, when such firings are held not abroad, but on national territory. Previously, such training was carried out at US training grounds due to restrictions related to ensuring the safety of sea and air spaces. The Shinhidaka training ground, located on the Pacific coast, will allow practicing the destruction of sea targets with training missiles without explosive charges. As the publication Army Recognition notes, the choice of Hokkaido is of strategic importance: the island is located near the Tsugaru Strait and the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, key routes for the navies of Russia and China.

The decision to hold the exercises comes amid rising regional tensions. According to The Japan Times, joint patrols by Russian and Chinese ships in the Pacific Ocean, including passage through the Tsugaru Strait in October 2021, have raised concerns in Tokyo. In addition, as Reuters reports, China is strengthening its military presence in the East China Sea, while Russia regularly conducts exercises in the Kuril Islands, including firings using the S-300VM air defense system. In April 2023, according to EADaily, Moscow announced missile exercises of the Pacific Fleet in the Kuril region, which provoked a protest from Japan. Against this backdrop, Tokyo is seeking to strengthen its defense potential, viewing the exercises as an element of deterrence.