On Tuesday, October 7, 2025, Japan’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) under the Ministry of Defense announced that it had commissioned Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) to begin serial production of two new types of ship-launched missiles.
Photo: Kaijō Jieitai
As reported, the two contracts will strengthen the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (Kaijō Jieitai) long-range defensive capabilities, enabling it to intercept and destroy invading forces approaching Japan at an early stage and from long distances. To rapidly field these capabilities, Japan has signed mass-production contracts for a guided missile launched from submarine torpedo tubes and for an upgraded ship-launched variant of the Type 12 guided missile.
The first contract with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), signed on September 2, covers production of the torpedo-tube-launched guided missile. Recall that on December 30, 2021, the Japanese daily The Yomiuri Shimbun, citing multiple government sources, reported that the Defense Ministry was studying options to arm current or future submarines with long-range cruise missiles capable of striking sea and land targets at ranges of over 1,000 km. On December 12, 2022, funding was approved for development, with the initial assumption that the missile would be launched from universal Vertical Launch Systems (VLS). The decision has since shifted to a torpedo-tube-launched variant because none of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s current submarines are equipped with VLS: Taigei class (4 in service, 1 ordered, 2 planned), Sōryū class (12 in service), and Oyashio class (9 in service + 2 training boats).
Then, on October 6, ATLA signed a contract with MHI to begin production of a modernized anti-ship missile based on the Type 12, in a ship-launched configuration (the announcement did not specify whether the launcher is surface or submarine-based). The new missile will be designated Type 2.12.
防衛省・自衛隊は、我が国への侵攻部隊を早期・遠方で阻止・排除するためスタンド・オフ防衛能力を強化し、この能力を早期に構築するため魚雷発射管から発射する潜水艦発射型誘導弾及び１２式地対艦誘導弾能力向上型（艦発型）の量産について契約を締結しました。https://t.co/LvxMJIcqf2
— 防衛装備庁 (@atla_kouhou_jp) October 7, 2025
On April 11, 2023, ATLA signed a 378 billion JPY contract with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) for the development and procurement of a range of rocket weapon systems, including hypersonic missiles. The agreement foresees the development of upgraded Type 12 SSM-ER missiles, which were tested in the autumn of last year from ground and maritime platforms, the production of Hypersonic Cruise Missiles (HCM) with plans to introduce them into operational service in 2026–2027, and the development of the aforementioned submarine-launched cruise missiles.
ATLA at the time stated that the land-based Type 12 SSM-ER (presumably in its serial configuration) was to be developed in fiscal year 2025, the ship-launched variant in 2026, and the air-launched variant in 2027.
The land-based version entered service on March 30 this year with the 2nd Artillery Battery of the 8th Coastal Missile Regiment at the Yufuin base in Ōita Prefecture on Kyushu Island. According to unofficial reports, the modernized missile has a range of 1,500 km (vs. 200 km for the baseline system), is 9 m long, has a 1,000 mm diameter, and a launch mass of 1,600 kg. In April this year, MHI was granted an additional 216 million USD in funding.
3月30日、本田防衛副大臣および小林防衛大臣政務官は、陸自湯布院駐屯地において、第８地対艦ミサイル連隊新編行事に出席し、副大臣から隊旗の授与等を行い、隊員を激励しました。今回の新編により、７個地対艦ミサイル連隊体制が完成し、自衛隊の抑止力・対処力が一層強化されます。 pic.twitter.com/8okGKNROpx
— 防衛省・自衛隊 (@ModJapan_jp) March 30, 2025
At the same time, rival company Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) is working on a new generation of land-based anti-ship missiles, while the increase in strike capabilities will be complemented by hypersonic glide projectiles (HVGPs – Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile), as well as recent purchases from the U.S.: 50 air-launched AGM-158B/JASSM-ER (including B-2) cruise missiles and 400 ship-launched RGM-109E Tomahawk Block V/IV missiles.