The Japan Self-Defense Forces conducted anti-ship training exercises in waters near the Senkaku Islands in June, timing the training to coincide with the deployment of two Chinese Navy aircraft carriers in the Pacific Ocean, according to a report by the Yomiuri Shimbun citing government sources and defense ministry officials.
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The exercises, which included multiple Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-2 fighter jets, took place in waters north of the disputed islands and marked an unusual departure from standard SDF training locations, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported. The training occurred as the Chinese aircraft carriers Liaoning and Shandong conducted their first simultaneous Pacific deployment, with both vessels operating in Japanese exclusive economic zones during late May and early June.
Government sources described the timing and location as deliberate, intended to demonstrate Japan’s readiness to counter increasing Chinese naval pressure in waters near Japan and Taiwan, according to the report. The exercises involved procedures for attacking aircraft carriers using air-to-ship missiles mounted on the F-2 platforms.
The SDF’s decision to use F-2 fighters, rather than more advanced stealthy F-35As, appears calculated to ensure visibility to Chinese forces. While F-2s possess significant anti-ship attack capabilities, their limited stealth characteristics make them more detectable than Japan’s most cutting-edge platform.
“Given when and where it was conducted and what it involved, this training was clearly intended to make sure China gets the message,” a government source told the Yomiuri Shimbun.
The Chinese carriers’ deployment represented an escalation in regional tensions. The Liaoning traveled southward through waters near the Senkakus in late May before reaching Japan’s EEZ off Minami-Torishima Island in early June. The Shandong simultaneously moved eastward south of Taiwan to reach the Pacific, sailing within Japanese territorial waters off Okinotorishima island.
Japan’s primary anti-ship missile, the Type 93 (ASM-2), provides F-2 aircraft with strike ranges of between 144 to 170 kilometers. The missile employs infrared image guidance with GPS integration in its improved ASM-2B variant, allowing engagement of both naval and land targets. F-2 fighters can carry up to four ASM-2 missiles per sortie.
The ASM-2’s development, completed in 1993 at a cost of approximately 11.8 billion yen, represented a significant advancement over earlier ASM-1 missile through its use of a turbojet engine for extended range and terminal imaging infrared guidance for target identification. The missile’s ability to distinguish vessel types and designate specific impact points on target ships enhanced its effectiveness against modern naval threats.
However, defense officials acknowledge the ASM-2’s range limitations against increasingly sophisticated Chinese naval air defense systems. This recognition drove development of the next-generation ASM-3, which completed testing in 2018 following a 325 billion yen development program that began in 2010.
The ASM-3 addresses current capability gaps through supersonic flight speeds exceeding Mach 3, achieved via an integral rocket-ramjet propulsion system. The missile’s design integrates stealth characteristics and employs dual active and passive radar seekers to enhance survivability against advanced naval defenses.
Initial ASM-3 variants provide ranges exceeding 300 kilometers, with the improved ASM-3A scheduled for Air Self-Defense Force deployment in 2025. Japan allocated 11.8 billion yen in fiscal 2024 for ASM-3A acquisition, following a 2022 contract with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
Development continues on an extended-range ASM-3 variant targeting 400-kilometer capabilities while maintaining F-2 compatibility through weight reduction measures. The Defense Equipment Agency scheduled this improvement program from 2020 through 2025, responding to Chinese naval modernization trends.
Japanese government analysis concluded the simultaneous carrier deployment represented training exercises in which one vessel simulated U.S. Navy operations, according to the Yomiuri Shimbun report. The exercises appeared designed to enhance Chinese capabilities for intercepting American carriers that might deploy during Taiwan contingencies or Senkaku Islands incidents.
During their approximately one-month Pacific deployment, aircraft from both Chinese carriers conducted 1,120 combined takeoffs and landings, demonstrating sustained operational tempo. The deployment supports China’s anti-access/area denial strategy aimed at complicating U.S. force projection from Hawaii and Guam bases.
Chinese military provocations escalated during the deployment period, including Jun. 7-8 incidents when Chinese fighters flew dangerously close to Maritime Self-Defense Force P-3C patrol aircraft after launching from the Shandong, according to Defense Ministry reports cited by the Yomiuri Shimbun.
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