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JS Chōkai, a Kōngo class destroyer, is the first Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship to be equipped with the BGM-109 Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM).

Though an extensive operator of warships with Mark 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) cells, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) has until now only used these to employ air defence and anti-submarine weaponry.

Japan’s procurement of 400 Tomahawk missiles from the U.S. was finalised in January 2024 following a prior change to the nation’s defence ethos that called for the introduction of longer ranged strike capabilities as a self-defence measure against hostile forces with long range munitions of their own. 

Chōkai, which entered JMSDF service in 1998, sailed to the United States in the second half of 2025 to receive modifications ready to become the service’s first Tomahawk-equipped vessel. The test firing, which took place on Jul. 29, 2026, was conducted with U.S. Navy support in the Pacific Ocean. The ship is scheduled to return to Japan in September 2026 after further testing and training. 

JS Chōkai (DDG-176) firing a Tomahawk missile. | Source: Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force

The Japanese Ministry of Defense said: “This live-fire test demonstrates steady progress in the Tomahawk project, and the Ministry of Defense will continue to work towards the early establishment of stand-off defense capabilities.”

JS Chokai, now in San Diego, is making steady progress every day in training for Tomahawk operations.
The JMSDF is working to build readiness for real-world missions to further strengthen deterrence and response capabilities. pic.twitter.com/rImzPwGcgY

— 防衛省 海上自衛隊 (@JMSDF_PAO) July 28, 2026

Closely inspired by the U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke class, the Kōngo class – along with the subsequent Atago and Maya classes – features the distinctive AN/SPY-1 radar arrays on the superstructure, and utilises the Aegis Combat System.

Chōkai features 90 Mark 41 VLS cells, the same number as on the Flight I and Flight II Arleigh Burke class vessels. The Atago and Maya classes expand this number to 96, which is matched by Flight IIA and III Arleigh Burkes. Unlike the two newer classes, the Kōngo class carries an OTO Melara 127 mm/5 inch gun rather than the U.S. standard Mk 45. 

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force guided-missile destroyer JS Chokai (DDG 176) departs Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam following the conclusion of Rim of the Pacific 2016. | Source: U.S. Navy Photo By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Johans Chavarro

The Tomahawk has been in U.S. service for over forty years and is one of the most widely known missile types even outside of the defence industry. It can be deployed from ships, submarines, or from land-based launchers, and certain variants were designed to be equipped with nuclear payloads.

Over 1,000 Tomahawks have been fired during Operation Epic Fury alone, and because of the missile’s widespread deployment on almost all U.S. Navy surface and sub-surface combatants it has frequently been employed extensively during ‘one-off’ operations like the strikes against Syria during the late 2010s.  

JMSDF conducts its first firing of a Tomahawk Land Attack Missile from JS Chokai.

Japan is purchasing around 200 Block IV and 200 Block V TLAM to equip at least 5 of its AEGIS destroyers.

Via @JMSDF_PAO pic.twitter.com/nRiMlO1oTE

— Navy Lookout (@NavyLookout) July 30, 2026

The Block IV and Block V missiles procured boast a publicly stated range capability in excess of 1,600 kilometres, carrying a 1,000 lb class warhead. Guidance is provided by GPS, along with terrain following capabilities that allow high-speed low level flight to increase survivability. The missile flies at subsonic speeds. 

Other Deployment Options

Japan’s submarines, which use diesel-electric propulsion, are able to fire Harpoon anti-ship missiles but are unlikely to become additional candidates for fielding the Tomahawk as they lack the VLS cells which are now preferred on U.S. submarine designs. Some operators, like the Royal Navy, still fire Tomahawks from torpedo tubes, but without the bulky U.S. orders for the tube-launched variant it seems increasingly unlikely that any more will be produced. Instead, there have been indications that a submarine-launched variant of the Japanese Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile (HVGP) could be developed.

Submarine launched cruise missiles enable attacks with a greater element of surprise, though some in Japan might argue that this would be in contravention of the country’s policies against offensive military capabilities. 

Undoubtedly, Japan will be looking to eventually field the Tomahawk across its force of Mark 41 equipped destroyers.