FILE PHOTO

By The South Asia Times

PAOAY, Philippines - For the first time since World War II, Japan has fired a missile overseas, with the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) launching a Type 88 surface-to-ship missile from Philippine soil as part of the Balikatan Exercise 2026, ABS-CBN News reported on Wednesday.

The missile, launched from Paoay in Ilocos Norte province, struck its target within six minutes -- hitting the decommissioned Philippine Navy warship BRP Quezon positioned approximately 75 kilometers offshore, according to defense officials.

The drill marks a significant shift this year, with Japan moving from observer to active participant in the annual US-Philippines military exercises.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., who observed the maritime strike, said the exercise demonstrates growing interoperability among allies and partner nations while strengthening the country's defense posture.

"Makikitang napaka-complicated nitong exercise na 'to. From planning to forming to resource management, so it will only get smoother and better," Teodoro told reporters in Paoay town.

"We have seen how it [Type 88 missile system] works, and it is something that we can interoperate with in the future," he added.

According to Teodoro, Balikatan will continue to expand in scale, with more partners expected to join in future iterations.

"I'm very, very proud and happy that we were able to pull this off for the first time, and it will only get larger in scope with more partners," the defense chief said.

He thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for his "steadfast leadership" in ensuring resilience efforts proceed unhampered, adding that the president's strong leadership has propelled the country to "converge and to interoperate and build deterrence for shared threats."

Teodoro noted that exercises like this enhance coordination not only for defense but also for disaster response in the Philippines' complex archipelagic environment.

"You can see this is a very complicated area to operate in. But can you imagine if there's, God forbid, a natural calamity? We will know how to help each other in this area," Teodoro said.

"It also upgrades the skills and the awareness of our troops in the capabilities that our allies have and in coordination mechanisms with the different participants. So, it's a complex exercise, actually. The culmination was simple — a missile firing — but to get there was very difficult and we surmounted the obstacles," he added.

While some progressive groups have raised concerns about the "militarization of the Philippines," Teodoro emphasized that the exercises are transparent and anchored on national defense.

"Well, militarization or national defense? There's always a claim of militarization, but it's under the control of civilian authorities. And these things should have been exercised and done a long time ago -- this being an archipelago," he stressed.

"The claims of militarization are totally misplaced at this day and age when we are open and transparent with the exercises, same for national security. I mean, it's for everybody to see and to comment on."

He added: "We have a democratic society. It's fair game if people want to read it. But if the public characterizes where they're coming from as one or the other, let them not complain."

For the Philippines, Teodoro said the goal remains clear: interoperability, resilience, and contributing to regional stability.

"Keeping a free and open Indo-Pacific. We do not canalize the area. But insofar as we have convergence with our like-minded partners, this is our share," Teodoro said.

He added that future Balikatan exercises would be shaped by lessons learned from ongoing operations, with activities assessed against the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC).

The missile launch represents a landmark moment for Japan's postwar defense posture. Since World War II, Japan's Self-Defense Forces have operated under a strictly self-defense-only mandate. Firing a missile from foreign soil -- and striking a target at sea -- signals Tokyo's growing willingness to project power beyond its borders amid rising regional tensions, particularly concerning the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait.

Japan's Type 88 surface-to-ship missile, a truck-mounted system with a range of approximately 200 kilometers, has been a staple of Japan's coastal defense. Its deployment in Philippine exercises suggests deepening military coordination between Tokyo and Manila.

While Teodoro criticized what he called "sinister" Chinese intentions following Beijing's remarks against the Balikatan exercises, China has consistently opposed foreign military activities in the region, which it views as destabilizing. Beijing claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, including areas also claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

China's foreign ministry has previously described US-Philippine military cooperation as "bringing tension and conflict into the region." No immediate comment was available from Beijing on the Japanese missile launch.

The successful missile strike is expected to pave the way for expanded Japanese participation in future Balikatan exercises, potentially including live-fire drills involving Japan's more advanced Type 12 and future long-range standoff missiles.

For the Philippines, the drill tested a new layer of archipelagic defense. For Japan, it marked the end of a 81-year silence. And for the region, the sound of that launch -- six minutes to impact -- may be the new normal.