Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force publicly revealed a previously undisclosed long-range hypersonic strike capability on June 7 during the country's largest annual live-fire exercise, drawing heightened regional attention as Taiwan prepares its own defense procurement push and annual military exercises this summer.
The 68th Fuji General Firepower Demonstration (富士綜合火力演習), held at the Higashi-Fuji Training Area in Shizuoka Prefecture, mobilized roughly 3,000 personnel, some 50 tanks and wheeled combat vehicles, 50 artillery pieces, 10 aircraft, and 10 unmanned aerial vehicles. The centerpiece reveal was the Type 25 High-Speed Gliding Projectile (25式高速滑空彈) system, stationed at Camp Fuji, which conducted supersonic precision strikes on simulated enemy positions during the counterattack phase — its first public demonstration.
The drill carries particular weight for Taiwan. Taipei passed a defense procurement budget in May 2026, and the annual Han Kuang military exercise is scheduled for August. Japan and Taiwan are both island nations, and the scenario rehearsed at Fuji — repelling an invasion and retaking a remote island — maps directly onto the strategic anxieties shared across the region.
Japan's Worst Security Environment Since WWII, Defense Minister Warns
Defense Minister Junichiro Koizumi (小泉進次郎) attended in person and delivered a pointed opening address alongside senior Ministry of Defense officials. He described Japan as facing its most severe and complex security environment since the end of World War II, pointing to the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East as evidence that modern conflict now fuses drone swarms, electromagnetic operations, artificial intelligence, space assets, cyber tools, and information warfare into what he called a more sophisticated form of hybrid warfare.
"Responding swiftly and flexibly to these emerging threats and establishing a new defense model has become a government priority," Koizumi said. He described the GSDF's personnel as a national asset and a source of pride, and pledged to build a force with what he called "ironclad deterrence and response capability." He remained on-site to observe the full daytime program before departing.
Koizumi noted that the Higashi-Fuji Training Area is the largest exercise ground on Japan's main island of Honshu. Participating units included the 1st Airborne Brigade from Narashino, the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (水陸機動団) from Ainoura, and cadets from the National Defense Academy, the High Technical School in Yokosuka, and the Systems and Communication Network School.
Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force publicly revealed a previously undisclosed long-range hypersonic strike capability on June 7 during the country's largest annual live-fire exercise, drawing heightened regional attention as Taiwan prepares its own defense procurement push and annual military exercises this summer.
The 68th Fuji General Firepower Demonstration (富士綜合火力演習), held at the Higashi-Fuji Training Area in Shizuoka Prefecture, mobilized roughly 3,000 personnel, some 50 tanks and wheeled combat vehicles, 50 artillery pieces, 10 aircraft, and 10 unmanned aerial vehicles. The centerpiece reveal was the Type 25 High-Speed Gliding Projectile (25式高速滑空彈) system, stationed at Camp Fuji, which conducted supersonic precision strikes on simulated enemy positions during the counterattack phase — its first public demonstration.
The drill carries particular weight for Taiwan. Taipei passed a defense procurement budget in May 2026, and the annual Han Kuang military exercise is scheduled for August. Japan and Taiwan are both island nations, and the scenario rehearsed at Fuji — repelling an invasion and retaking a remote island — maps directly onto the strategic anxieties shared across the region.
Island Defense, Amphibious Counterattack: What the Drill Rehearsed
The day's scenario was divided into two phases: repelling an invasion of a remote island and then retaking it. Self-Defense Force officers briefed media after the morning session that the scenario was scripted for training purposes and was not intended to reflect any specific real-world situation.
In the defensive phase, a rapid reaction unit inserted via V-22 Osprey, CH-47, and UH-2 helicopters under attack helicopter escort to establish defensive positions. ScanEagle surveillance UAVs tracked an approaching enemy naval force, and Type 12 surface-to-ship missiles struck it in a coordinated salvo. As simulated amphibious vehicles neared the coast, Type 16 Maneuver Combat Vehicles and Type 96 multipurpose missile systems engaged them. Large attack drones were intercepted by Type 87 self-propelled anti-aircraft guns; smaller drones were neutralized through a combination of rifle fire and electronic warfare units that identified operator coordinates and directed artillery suppression. A flanking armored assault was halted with flame zones and 81mm mortar fire.
The counterattack phase opened with the debut of the Type 25 glide weapon system striking simulated enemy positions from Camp Fuji at supersonic speed. Airborne units conducted a high-altitude infiltration, and a fire direction team from the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade guided F-2 fighters in close air support. Naval gunfire from Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force vessels suppressed remaining enemy air defenses. Assault troops established a beachhead by fast-rope and amphibious landing.
The main assault followed: reconnaissance drones and motorcycle scouts located enemy positions, 120mm mortars softened them, Type 92 mine-clearing vehicles opened safe lanes, and snipers targeted enemy drone operators. Main battle tanks and infantry then stormed the line, with troops using Type 20 5.56mm rifles fitted with fire control systems to engage micro-drones during trench clearing. The operation concluded with counter-battery fire against enemy artillery and a final push on a fortified hilltop under Type 89 infantry fighting vehicle cover.
Robotic Dogs, Night-Vision Artillery, and the Full Multi-Domain Arsenal
The exercise served as a comprehensive showcase of Japan's defense modernization. Aviation assets ranged from F-2 fighters and V-22 Ospreys to AH-1S attack helicopters. Ground armor included Type 10 and Type 90 main battle tanks, Type 16 Maneuver Combat Vehicles, and Type 89 infantry fighting vehicles. Air defense layers spanned the Type 03 medium-range surface-to-air missile down to the Type 93 close-range variant, with Type 01 light anti-tank missiles rounding out the anti-armor suite.
Unmanned and autonomous systems stood out. The force deployed long-endurance surveillance unmanned ground vehicles, attack-type and squad-support unmanned ground vehicles, ScanEagle and SkyRanger UAVs for aerial intelligence, and the Network Electronic Warfare System (NEWS) for signals collection and jamming. Quadruped robotic dogs — capable of carrying 10 kilograms of cargo and navigating stairways — made their appearance alongside the human troops.
The night phase demonstrated all-weather combat capability. Troops used night-vision-equipped rifles, machine guns, and armored vehicles to operate in low-visibility conditions. Illumination rounds were sequenced from the 81mm L16 mortar (approximately one million candela) through the 120mm mortar (approximately 1.6 million candela) to the FH-70 155mm howitzer (approximately 2.2 million candela, effective at 3,000 meters). Infrared illumination rounds — invisible to the naked eye and detectable only through night-vision optics — guided artillery and mortar units onto targets.
The night scenario simulated an enhanced rapid reaction unit repelling a nocturnal assault on a remote island; SkyRanger UAVs collected intelligence, and IR illumination sustained battlefield surveillance as the enemy advanced. Type 16 Maneuver Combat Vehicles ultimately destroyed enemy armor while artillery and mortars suppressed dismounted infantry. When the enemy penetrated the central position, the commander ordered direct overhead fire and committed reserves to clear and repel the assault.
Despite cold temperatures and heavy rain, the night exercise began on schedule at 8:00 p.m. and concluded roughly 40 minutes later.
Nearly 70 Tons of Ammunition: Inside the Numbers
Total ammunition expended reached 69.5 metric tons at a cost of approximately ¥820 million — a modest reduction from the 76.9 metric tons and ¥870 million consumed during the 2025 edition. Officials noted that because the drill incorporates an educational component for military academy students, it runs as a single-day event rather than the multi-day format used for joint exercises with foreign partners. On-site recruitment activities for the Self-Defense Force were also held.
A Policy Shift That Changes the Regional Calculus
The exercise comes as the Takaichi cabinet pursues Japan's most consequential defense policy realignment in decades. In April 2026, Tokyo revised the operational guidelines of the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment (防衛裝備移轉三原則), lifting a long-standing ban on the export of lethal weapons systems. Under the revised framework, Japan may in principle export finished equipment — including warships and missiles — to like-minded nations. Officials framed the shift as an extension of the strategic vision of the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, aimed at strengthening the domestic defense industrial base and deepening security cooperation with partner countries to shape a more stable regional security environment.
For Taiwan — watching from across the strait as Japan rehearses island recapture operations, reveals hypersonic strike weapons, and dismantles its own export restrictions — the message from Higashi-Fuji may carry meaning beyond any scripted training scenario. （Related： Left Out: How Japan-Philippines Maritime Talks Threaten Taiwan's Eastern Waters ｜ Latest ）
