China showed off its naval power by releasing footage of the launch of the hypersonic anti-ship missile 'YJ-20' ahead of Army Day. The YJ-20 boasts a cruising speed of Mach 6 or higher and a terminal stage speed of up to Mach 9, making it difficult to intercept with existing air defense systems. This launch suggests that China may begin to deploy the YJ-20 on 052D destroyers, and is expected to lead to an increase in warships equipped with long-range hypersonic strike capabilities. Meanwhile, Japan conducted its first test launch of the US-made Tomahawk cruise missile using the Aegis destroyer 'Chokai'. The Tomahawk is a long-range precision strike missile capable of targeting North Korea, Russia, and China, and Japan plans to introduce 400 Tomahawks from the United States starting in 2024. This test launch demonstrates that Japan is accelerating its efforts to secure long-range strike capabilities.
