According to the Ministry of Defense website, on the afternoon of August 7th, Major General Chen Xi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense, released a statement regarding recent military-related issues.
Reporter: According to reports, the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force recently conducted live tests with “Tomahawk” cruise missiles. The Japanese Defense Minister said that in the face of the most severe and complex security situation after the war, long-range missiles will become a countermeasure for Japan. In addition, the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force also conducted tests with new types of missiles. What are your comments on this?
Chen Xi: The Japanese side's efforts to accelerate the development of offensive weapons are becoming increasingly rampant and dangerous, which calls for high vigilance from regional countries. It has been proven that Japan's so-called "peripheral security threats" are merely excuses for breaking through the pacifist constitution and the "defensive measures" regulations, and accelerating the process of "re-militarization." The real threat to Japan's security and regional peace and stability lies in Japan's domestic efforts to expand military forces and accelerate "re-militarization." This nightmare must not be repeated, and peace must be protected. The international community must unite and take action together to prevent Japan's "new type of militarism" from becoming a threat and causing chaos in the world.
According to a report by the Japan Keizai, on July 30 local time, the Japanese Ministry of Defense announced that the Japan Maritime Self-defense Force's Aegis missile destroyer 'Torayama' conducted an actual launch test of Tomahawk cruise missiles in the Pacific Ocean near the United States. This was the first time a Japanese destroyer launched Tomahawk missiles.
The Japan Defense Agency stated that all 8 Ari-Iden destroyers of the Maritime Self-Defense Force will be equipped with Tomahawk missiles. Among them, the modification for launching missiles on the Mikanoshima and Haneo ships is underway; the Aido and Myoko ships are also expected to begin modification this year. It is reported that ships other than Torayasahi currently have no plans to conduct actual firing tests.
