Japan is poised to host the U.S. Army’s Typhon Mid-Range Capability (MRC) missile system for the first time this September, as part of the joint Resolute Dragon military exercise with the United States. The move, announced by both Japanese and U.S. officials, marks another step in Washington’s ongoing drive to bolster its arsenal of anti-ship weapons across the Indo-Pacific—a strategy that has already drawn sharp rebukes from China and Russia and is set against the backdrop of Japan’s own historic surge in defense spending.
The Typhon system, a mobile, ground-launched battery capable of firing both Tomahawk cruise missiles and SM-6 missiles, will be temporarily deployed to the U.S. Marine Air Station Iwakuni during the exercise, which runs from September 11 to September 25, 2025. According to a spokesperson for Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), the deployment’s primary aim is to "enhance deterrence, response capacity, and integrated operations" between the two allies. Whether the missile system will actually be fired during the exercise remains unclear, but its mere presence is already reverberating throughout the region.
The Typhon’s deployment in Japan follows similar moves in the Philippines and Australia over the past two years. In April 2024, the U.S. Army brought the system to the Philippines for Exercise Balikatan and Exercise Salaknib, a decision that Beijing immediately lambasted as a provocative escalation. The system has remained in the Philippines since, much to China’s discomfort, and Manila has since called for a permanent deployment—a development that could further inflame regional tensions. In July 2025, the Typhon was deployed to Australia for the Talisman Sabre drills, where it was live-fired on foreign soil for the first time, an event widely interpreted as a show of force amid rising security threats from Beijing.
What makes the Typhon unique—and particularly concerning for China and Russia—is its versatility and reach. Each Typhon battery consists of four launchers, each capable of carrying four missiles, allowing for a 16-missile salvo before reloading. The SM-6 missiles can strike air or sea targets at ranges of more than 200 kilometers (about 165 miles), while the Tomahawk cruise missiles can hit land targets up to 1,600 kilometers (about 1,000 miles) away. From Iwakuni, that’s enough to reach deep into Chinese territory, including major cities like Shanghai, which sits less than 700 kilometers across the East China Sea.
According to Reuters, the Typhon’s deployment is part of a broader U.S. strategy to amass a variety of anti-ship and long-range precision weapons in Asia, intended to deter potential aggression from regional adversaries—chief among them China. The U.S. and Japan have repeatedly stressed that these moves are meant to strengthen deterrence and ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific. But not everyone is convinced.
Beijing has reacted with predictable fury, characterizing the deployment as a direct threat to its security and a destabilizing factor in the regional balance of power. “China always opposes the United States deploying the Typhon Mid-Range Capability missile system in Asian countries,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, as reported by EurAsian Times. “We urge Japan to take a hard look at its history of aggression, follow the path of peaceful development, act prudently in military and security areas, and refrain from further losing the trust of its Asian neighbours and the international community.” The Chinese government has consistently argued that the presence of advanced U.S. missiles “on its doorstep” could trigger an arms race and undermine regional stability.
Russia, too, has voiced its objections. Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, described the deployment as “another destabilising step as part of Washington’s course toward ramping up the potential of ground-based shorter and intermediate-range missiles.” Moscow, which has grown closer to Beijing in recent years, views the Typhon’s arrival in the region as a threat not just to China but to its own security interests as well.
For Japan, the Typhon deployment arrives at a moment of unprecedented military modernization and expansion. On August 29, 2025, the Japanese Ministry of Defense submitted a record $60 billion (8.8 trillion yen) budget request for the 2026 fiscal year, reflecting a steady year-on-year increase in defense spending as Tokyo seeks to counter growing threats from China, Russia, and North Korea. The request aligns with Japan’s plan—announced in 2023—to allocate 43 trillion yen (about $296.55 billion) over five years, aiming to reach 2% of GDP in defense spending by 2027. For the upcoming fiscal year, spending is projected to hit 1.8% of GDP.
Japan’s budget includes a sweeping array of new investments: the introduction of the Synchronized, Hybrid, Integrated and Enhanced Littoral Defense (SHIELD) system, designed to integrate unmanned surface and subsurface vehicles and drones for surveillance and strike missions; funding for nine additional F-35A and three F-35B fighter aircraft, bringing the country closer to its goal of acquiring 105 F-35As and 42 F-35Bs; and procurement of two more KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft, enhancing Japan’s long-range operational capabilities. The country has already received 43 F-35s, according to EurAsian Times.
Other highlights in the budget request include the development and production of long-range precision weapons such as the Type 12 Surface-to-Ship Missile (SSM), Joint Strike Missiles (JSM) for F-35A fighters, Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM) for upgraded F-15s, and Tomahawk cruise missiles for Aegis destroyers. Japan is also developing a new long-range cruise missile with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, intended for launch from Taigei-class submarines by fiscal year 2027.
To bolster its defenses against aerial and missile threats—including hypersonic weapons from China, North Korea, and Russia—Japan is seeking funds for an Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) system, as well as a network of small satellites to improve target detection and tracking. The naval budget includes three Improved Mogami-class frigates, continued construction of two Aegis guided-missile destroyers, troop transport ships, and procurement of six SH-60L antisubmarine helicopters. There’s even funding for next-generation aircraft under the GCAP program, developed in partnership with the UK and Italy.
The budget request, now under review by Japan’s Finance Ministry, is expected to be finalized by late December 2025. If approved, it will further solidify Japan’s status as a major military power in the Indo-Pacific, with capabilities increasingly aligned with those of its American ally.
The Typhon’s temporary arrival in Japan is more than just a military maneuver. It’s a signal—to allies and adversaries alike—of shifting power dynamics in the region. Whether it leads to greater stability or sparks new tensions remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the Indo-Pacific’s security landscape is evolving, and the world is watching closely.
