US Deploys "Typhon" Missile System in Japan for First Time

On September 15, the United States for the first time demonstrated its "Typhon" medium-range missile system in Japan. Beijing has condemned this and described it as a destabilizing move.

The land-based station, which can launch "Tomahawk" cruise missiles with sufficient range to strike China's eastern coast or parts of Russia from Japan, will be presented during the annual "Resolute Dragon" exercise. The two-week exercise involves 20,000 Japanese and American soldiers, as well as warships and missile batteries.

"The use of multiple systems and different types of ammunition allows us to create difficulties for the adversary," said Colonel Wade German, the commander of the group operating the missile system.

"The speed at which it can be deployed gives us the ability to quickly advance it when required," he added, noting that the "Typhon" will leave Japan after the completion of "Resolute Dragon." The colonel declined to say where the unit would be moved to or whether it would return to Japan.

The system's presentation in western Japan took place after its deployment in the Philippines in April 2024, which drew sharp criticism from Beijing and Moscow, who accused the US of provoking an arms race.

German declined to say whether the unit in Japan is the same one that was deployed in the Philippines.

The US has also conducted live-fire exercises in Australia this year, but its presence in Japan, which is closer to China, could provoke a stronger reaction, military analysts say.

China's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to reports about the latest deployment of the "Typhon."

"In the past, such deployments would have been stopped by Washington and Tokyo for fear of China's reaction. You can see that this is now less of a problem than, say, five years ago," said Grant Newsham, a retired US Marine Corps colonel and a researcher at the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies, who has worked with the Japanese military.

The US describes Iwakuni as part of the "First Island Chain," a series of territories and bases stretching from Japan to the Philippines that restricts China's naval and air forces and complicates its military planning.

The "Typhon" can also launch SM-6 missiles, which are designed to hit ships or aircraft at a distance of over 200 km. According to experts, Washington is seeking to massively deploy such anti-ship weapons in Asia in an attempt to counter China's growing missile arsenal.

Unlike new-generation missile programs, the "Typhon" is based on existing weapons that are easy to mass-produce. Military planners note that this will make it easier for the US and its allies to catch up with China, which plans to increase its defense budget by 7.2% this year.

Japan is also increasing its military spending. It is buying "Tomahawk" missiles for its warships and developing its own medium-range missiles as part of its largest military expansion since World War II.

Taking into account regional developments, Taiwan plans to increase spending by one-fifth in 2026, to more than 3% of GDP.