Japan launched a Tomahawk missile from one of its destroyers for the first time

Japan successfully conducted its first test launch of a Tomahawk cruise missile from its Aegis-equipped destroyer, the JS Chokai. The test took place in the United States.

The Japanese Ministry of Defense reported that the U.S. side provided the test site and support during the trials, but the missile was launched by a Japanese crew.

The destroyer JS Chokai has been undergoing modernization in the United States since October 2025. Upon completion of the tests, the ship is scheduled to return to Japan in September 2026.

Source: Japanese Ministry of Defense.

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