Japan Fires Offensive Missiles in Philippines During Balikatan Exercises

The Government of Japan deployed combat troops to the Philippines and fired two Type 88 surface-to-ship missiles during the Balikatan joint military exercises on May 6, 2026. The missiles struck and sank the BRP Quezon, a decommissioned Philippine Navy corvette, approximately 75 kilometers off the coast of Paoay in Ilocos Norte. This marked the first time Japan has launched offensive missiles on foreign soil since World War II.

The exercises, which ran from April 20 to May 8, involved 17,000 personnel from the United States, Philippines, Australia, Canada, France, and New Zealand. During the drills, U.S. forces utilized HIMARS and the Typhon mid-range missile system. Concurrent with the exercises, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro agreed to establish a working group to discuss the export of used Abukuma-class destroyer escorts to Manila, following Japan's April revision of its arms export policy to allow the transfer of lethal equipment.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the actions. Spokesperson Lin Jian characterized the missile launches as evidence of neo-militarism and a threat to regional stability. Secretary Teodoro dismissed these concerns, telling critics they should mind their own backyard. The shift occurs as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pursues a more muscular defense policy, including intentions to revise Article 9 of the Japanese constitution to move away from its postwar pacifist stance.