Photo/Illutration The Ground Self-Defense Force’s Type 12 surface-to-ship guided missile, which is currently being upgraded to become the first Japan-made long-range cruise missile (From the Ground Self-Defense Force’s website)

The government will include a “standoff missile unit” capable of long-distance strikes against enemy bases under what it calls “counterattack capabilities” in three key national security policy documents that are now being revised.

The government presented the plan to a meeting of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Dec. 13.

The outline for the three documents said the standoff missile unit will become a core feature of the Ground Self-Defense Force for striking enemy bases that are planning to attack Japan, according to sources.

The unit will comprise seven surface-to-ship missile regiments, two high-speed gliding missile battalions for island protection, and two long-range guided missile troops.

Under the government’s plan, the unit will be armed with U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles, Japan-made Type 12 surface-to-ship guided missiles, which are currently being upgraded, and hypersonic guided missiles.

The Type 12 missiles will include those that can be fired from the ground, ships and aircraft.

In addition, the GSDF and the Maritime Self-Defense Force will each have one new “information warfare unit.”

Since Russia started invading Ukraine in February, Japan’s Defense Ministry has been considering establishing warfare units to deal with information spread on the internet, including through social media platforms.

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