Japan fires Type 88 missiles in Balikatan maritime strike drill

PAOAY, Ilocos Norte—Japan fired its land-based Type 88 surface-to-ship missile system during the maritime strike exercise on Wednesday, marking Tokyo’s first full participation in the annual Philippines-United States Balikatan military drills.

Two missile rounds were launched from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF)’s Type 88 missile system during the exercise in Paoay, Ilocos Norte. 

The missiles struck the target vessel—the decommissioned Philippine Navy warship BRP Quezon (PS70)—about 75 kilometers off the coast within six minutes of launch.

The maritime strike exercise highlighted Japan’s transition from observer status to active participation in Balikatan following the implementation of the Philippines-Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), which expanded defense and operational cooperation between the two countries.

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi witnessed the missile firing and later spoke with participating troops in the exercise area. 

Both officials also received a briefing on the capabilities of the Japanese missile system.

“Well, there’s been a lot that we have shared, and I think what we have shared will be revealed when we operate together and as we move forward,” Teodoro said.

A day before the exercise, Teodoro and Koizumi held a bilateral Defense Ministerial Meeting in Makati City, where they welcomed the steady progress in operational cooperation between Manila and Tokyo, including the implementation of the RAA and the signing of the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA).

The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to upholding a rules-based international order and expressed concern over developments in the East China Sea and South China Sea.

They also underscored the need to strengthen maritime domain awareness, intelligence and information sharing, and operational coordination in response to evolving regional security challenges.

Both defense officials noted the expanding scope of joint and multilateral military activities, including humanitarian assistance and disaster response exercises, as well as Japan’s participation in Balikatan, as key factors in improving interoperability among allied forces.