Japanese defence forces have conducted their first missile test on home soil.
The test was conducted by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) branch of the nation's army on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST), with 300 soldiers participating.
The test saw a surface-to-ship short range missile fired at the Shizunai Anti-Air Firing Range, on the island of Hokkaido.
The Type 88 guided missile was developed by Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and has a range of approximately 100 kilometres.
An unmanned boat off the island’s coast was the target of the test missile and the GSDF said officials were still studying the results.
The exercise seemed to be a deliberate countermeasure to growing Chinese military presences. The marine branch of Japan's defence forces announced on the same day that it would be conducting a multi-week exercise with the United States Navy.
The Trump administration has repeatedly expressed concerns about Chinese military activity in the Pacific region. It called on nations in the area to increase defence spending as a counter measure.
