Naval News – Extended range version of ASM-3 is being mass produced in response to China’s maritime expansion.

South China Morning Post – A suspicious increase in the number of foreign companies purchasing plots of land close to Japanese military installations has prompted Tokyo to consider restricting such sales.

Naval News – The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, the U.S. Navy, and the French Navy will take part in combined amphibious drills in Japan’s remote Islands in May 2021.

Naval News – According to multiple Japanese media reports, the Japanese government is considering to build additional Aegis destroyers for the JMSDF as an alternative solution to Aegis Ashore.

Naval News – The U.S. Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, began the at sea portion of Mine Warfare Exercise (MINEX) 3JA 2020 off the coast of southwestern Japan, Nov. 20.

Naval News – The Japan Coast Guard has demonstrated the General Atomics’ MQ-9B SeaGuardian capabilities to local media.

South China Morning Post – Rising costs have significantly delayed Tokyo’s plans to deploy F-15 fighter jets capable of launching cruise missiles against ships or land targets, with Beijing’s ongoing activities close to disputed islands in the East China Sea underlining the importance of the new deterrent to the Japanese military.

War Zone – Reports from the Japanese media say that the government is looking into the feasibility of procuring two new “super-destroyers” as an alternative to the pair of land-based Aegis Ashore systems, work on which was suspended earlier this year amid technical issues, rising costs, and domestic criticism. 

National Interest – James Holmes writes let’s speculate about what a deployment to the uninhabited islets—which adjoin Japan’s Ryukyu Islands but constitute an archipelago distinct from the Ryukyus—might look like. Start with the extreme case. If troops alighted on the Senkakus, would they build a permanent base? Doubtful—though less doubtful than in the past.

War Zone – Land-based Japanese F-35As trained alongside the U.S. Navy’s first-in-class amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA-6) in the western Pacific during “advanced combined operations” earlier this week. The integrated air defense training involving Japanese and American forces comes as Japan works toward its own future carrier capability using the Joint Strike Fighter. 

Naval News – Japan’s newest submarine “Taigei” (previously known as 29SS) was launched today at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) shipyard in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture.

War on the Rocks – A centerpiece in Japan’s defense modernization efforts designed to deter a resurgent China is the development of an amphibious warfare capability. 

CIMSEC – With all branches of Japan state power now investing in Southeast Asian maritime security, this region is cementing as a new nexus in Japan’s maritime strategy. The scope, strategic intent, and likely future development of Japan’s maritime security activities in Southeast Asia merits closer examination.

– US Navy War College Review – While the United States and Japan share many values, their legal systems take distinct approaches to authorizing military operations. But the two approaches converge within the alliance structure—especially important with regard to implementing the international law of self-defense.

– War Zone – Japan would become the second-largest Lightning II operator in the world if it bought all 105 jets in the proposed deal.

– USNI News – Japan has formally ended its plans to procure two Aegis Ashore missile defense sites, citing concerns that the booster on the Standard Missile-3 Block IIA interceptor missile couldn’t be guaranteed to land on military property instead of nearby civilian communities.

– Defense News – The last of Japan’s eight planned destroyers capable of intercepting ballistic missiles has started sea trials ahead of its commissioning, even as the country ponders its next move following its decision to suspend plans to introduce ground-based systems for that role.

– Asahi Shimbun – A submarine of foreign origin, presumed to belong to the Chinese Navy, was spotted passing through the contiguous zone off the coast of Amami-Oshima island in southern Japan.

– Naval News – The Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD) announced this week its intention to halt deployment of the Aegis Ashore missile defense system citing difficulties in ensuring that rocket boosters from the interceptors do not fall in populated areas. The real reason may actually have to do with the radar system, namely SPY-6 and SPY-7.

– USNI News – Japan is backing away from installing two Aegis Ashore ballistic missile defense (BMD) systems in the country over technical concerns.

– South China Morning Post – Japan is developing a hypersonic anti-ship missile, a weapon that can cruise at high altitudes and could pose a threat to Chinese aircraft carriers in the East China Sea.

– Naval News – Japan continues to reinforce its Southern Islands. A new Type 12 Surface-to-Ship Missile (12式地対艦誘導弾) unit has recently been deployed at the garrison on Miyakojima island.

– Kyodo News – A Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer and a Chinese fishing boat collided on the high seas off the coast of Shanghai on Monday.

– Naval News – The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) commissioned today its first Maya-class AEGIS Destroyer at Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU) Isogo shipyard in Yokohama. JS Maya まや (DDG-179) joins the JMSDF’s Escort Flotilla 1, based in Yokosuka.

– South China Morning Post – The Aki is first ship in three decades built to hunt for submarines, as Japan sees a rise in unidentified subs, believed to be from China, within its waters. But Tokyo is also keeping a close eye on North Korea, which has been developing a platform for submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

(Thanks to Alain)