Photo/Illutration The U.S. Typhon medium-range missile system is shown at Marine Corps Air Station at Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, on Sept. 15. The launcher is positioned on the vehicle on the right, and the command and control unit is situated on the vehicle on the left. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

The U.S. military has for the first time deployed a medium-range missile launcher in Japan as part of a joint Japan-U.S. training exercise.

The move is aimed at countering China, which holds an advantage in this domain, with an eye toward a potential Taiwan contingency.

With Beijing and Shanghai falling within range, the deployment of the Typhon missile system risks significantly ratcheting up regional tensions.

Although the launcher is scheduled to be withdrawn after the exercise, we are deeply concerned that the placement could pave the way for permanent stationing without oversight.

The Resolute Dragon exercise, which involves 19,000 personnel from the Ground Self-Defense Force and the U.S. military, runs until Sept. 25 in eight prefectures, centered in the Kyushu region and Okinawa Prefecture.

The Typhon system was brought to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture as part of the exercise. It is capable of firing cruise missiles, including the Tomahawk, which has a reported range of about 1,600 kilometers.

The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty between the United States and Russia banned many medium-range missiles that travel between 500 and 5,500 km. However, the pact, a symbol of the end of the Cold War, expired in August 2019.

The United States has since been accelerating development of these weapons to close the gap with China, which had rapidly built up its arsenals outside the bounds of the treaty. Washington has been considering deployments in the Asia-Pacific region, including Japan.

The U.S. military deployed the Typhon in the Philippines during a joint exercise in April last year and has since kept it in place in the country. We cannot help but suspect that the deployment in Iwakuni is a preparatory step toward future permanent stationing.

To be sure, China’s rapid military buildup cannot be overlooked as it contributes to regional instability.

At a military parade in Beijing this month, China showcased ballistic missiles and other advanced weapons.

The United States has grown increasingly alarmed that the Xi Jinping administration may complete preparations for a potential military invasion of Taiwan by 2027, the centennial of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army.

Even so, simply meeting force with force cannot achieve peace and stability.

If medium-range missiles are permanently stationed in Japan, the country would inevitably become a target for enemy attacks.

Moreover, it remains unclear to what extent Japan’s input would be reflected when the United States decides whether to launch those missiles. It could become a contentious political issue in Japan that divides public opinion.

In the latest exercise, the U.S. military also deployed cutting-edge equipment to Ishigakijima island in Okinawa Prefecture with a focus on defending Japan’s remote islands.

The items included the NMESIS anti-ship missile system and the MADIS ground-based air defense system, which is designed to counter drones and other aerial threats.

In lockstep with the United States, the Self-Defense Forces have also been accelerating efforts to deploy and operate the improved, longer-range version of the Type 12 surface-to-ship missile, which can be used for counterstrike capabilities.

While strengthening Japan-U.S. cooperation is important to deter any unilateral changes to the status quo by force, it would be self-defeating if such efforts escalate an arms race and destabilize the region.

Japan must pursue persistent diplomatic efforts, such as exploring an arms control framework in Asia that includes China, even if it may be difficult to achieve in the short term.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Sept. 24

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