The Army plans to deploy medium-range Typhon missiles to Japan for the first time during Marine Corps-led exercises later this month.

The Army’s 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force will place the land-based, ground-launched system at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, about 25 miles southeast of Hiroshima, during the annual Resolute Dragon exercise, U.S. Army Pacific spokesman Col. Isaac Taylor told Stars and Stripes.

The Army-Marine Corps drills will be held from Sept. 11 to 15 throughout Japan, including Okinawa.

“Typhon provides a complementary capability to existing U.S. and Japanese systems and underscores our commitment to innovation, modernization, and the U.S.-Japan Alliance,” Col. Taylor said.

“This exercise highlights the importance of interoperability and our shared dedication to peace, security, and a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

Typhon deployments to the Philippines and Australia riled China, which protested the missile system as a threat to its territory.

“The deployment of the system in Japan will further undermine the legitimate security interests of other countries,” said China’s Foreign Ministry.

The first test firing of the Army missile took place in the Western Pacific on July 15, when a Typhon was used to hit a sea target during the Talisman Sabre.

Typhon missiles were deployed temporarily in the Philippines in April 2024 — within striking distance of targets in China. The missiles were kept in place at the request of the Manila government.

China protested both deployments.

Typhon systems include launchers, missiles and a command center. The weapon can fire both SM-6 surface-to-surface and anti-ship missiles, and long-range Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles.

The Tomahawk has a range of up to 1,500 miles and is feared by China because of its precision strike capabilities.

The latest Tomahawk attacks took place against Iran’s nuclear facilities in June and were fired from special missile submarines.

Japan’s military also plans to deploy a new anti-ship missile called the Type-12 that will be based on Camp Kengun in southwestern Japan in March, Tokyo’s Defense Ministry said.

The Type-12 missile has a range of about 620 miles.

The missile deployments in Japan come as Tokyo has grown increasingly alarmed by expanding Chinese military power and aggressive actions in the region.

• Bill Gertz can be reached at bgertz@washingtontimes.com.