- JS Chokai (DDG-176) returned to its homeport of Sasebo, Japan, on Sunday after a year-long deployment in the U.S. to be outfitted with Tomahawk cruise missiles.
- On July 29, Chokai conducted a Tomahawk missile test, validating the crew and ship's ability to operate the missile.
- Adm. Akira Saito, chief of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, stated that the insights gained from this deployment will enhance the capabilities of future vessels equipped with Tomahawk launch capabilities.
- Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi confirmed that the Tomahawk deliveries are proceeding as scheduled.
- Japan is constructing its first dedicated missile defense warship, known as ASEV, with the first laid down in July 2025 and the second in February 2026.
- Japan plans to acquire a total of 400 Tomahawk missiles as part of its counterattack capability plan outlined in its 2022 National Defense Strategy.
Japan's destroyer JS Chokai (DDG-176) returned to Sasebo after a year-long deployment in the U.S. for Tomahawk missile capabilities.1
Adm. Akira Saito emphasized that the insights gained will enhance future vessels' capabilities.3
"I believe these measures were implemented for the first time on this mission. We have learned the lesson that such measures will be necessary when conducting similar long-term deployments in the future," Saito stated.
The deployment marked the longest for a JMSDF ship, surpassing the previous six-month record.
To ease crew burdens, the Japanese government funded off-ship stays and returns during non-operational periods.
Japan is set to acquire 400 Tomahawk missiles as part of its 2022 National Defense Strategy, which aims to enhance long-range strike capabilities.78
"It remains unchanged that Japan's defense capabilities – including stand-off missiles – constitute the minimum necessary defensive force for self-defense, to be exercised only in the event of an armed attack by an adversary," said Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi.
The Tomahawk integration is part of a broader strategy to bolster Japan's defense posture amid regional tensions.
“The deployment was the longest for a JMSDF ship, surpassing the previous six-month record, and the government funded crew accommodations off-ship and flights home. Japan plans to equip its remaining seven Aegis destroyers and two ASEVs with Tomahawks, procuring 400 missiles total.”
TWZ
