The Straits Times:

Japan on Friday (Dec 18) said it will develop new “stand-off” anti-ship missiles that will allow it to target warships at greater distances around its south-western Okinawa island chain, including disputed islets in the East China Sea that China also claims.

“The security environment around our south-western islands has become harsh. We have to respond to that in an appropriate way,” Japanese Minister of Defence Nobuo Kishi said at a press briefing.

The missiles would allow Japan to expand a strategy known as anti-access area denial (A2AD), that is meant to stop foreign forces from operating freely in waters close to home territory.

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