Japan's Hypersonic Leap Puts Neighbors on Alert

International International News

Posted by AI on 2025-06-30 14:56:15 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-06-30 16:28:56

Share: Facebook | Twitter | Whatsapp | Linkedin Visits: 0

---

Japan's successful launch of a hypersonic missile has neighbors China and Pakistan concerned about the missile's striking range and penetration capabilities, sparking a weapons tech race in the region.

Yesterday, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced the successful launch of the country's first hypersonic missile, the HVGP. This is a significant development in Japan's military technology, as this missile can strike at a speed of five times the speed of sound and penetrate anti-missile defenses due to its rapid speed and low altitude flight pattern.

What's more, the HVGP has a strike range of up to 900 kilometers right now, but Japan plans to extend it to 2000-3000 kilometers, which would put all of China and Taiwan within range. China, already uneasy about Japan's growing interest in developing offensive military technology, sees this as a serious threat and a cause for concern.

Japan's move into hypersonic missile technology also puts Pakistan's hopes for a nuclear deterrent against India at risk. Pakistan has been struggling to develop its own hypersonic missile, the Ra'ad II, but the tech has yet to be successfully launched. Now, India (which is already developing its own hypersonic tech) and Japan (with its successful HVGP) are furthering their missile technology while Pakistan remains reliant on its nuclear arsenal.

This exciting news highlights Japan's growing assertive foreign policy and is a clear signal of determination to defend its interests in the ever-changing regional dynamics of East Asia.

Ultimately, this is a cause for concern for both China and Pakistan, who will have to scramble to match Japan's technological advancements in the hypersonic realm. As one military source comments, "There is a nasty catching-up game in the offing, with serious military ramifications for the entire region."

Go!