MoD Announces JMSDF Live-Fire Exercises in Four Sea Areas

In the Official Gazette dated September 9, 2026, the Ministry of Defense promulgated Ministry of Defense Notices No. 231 to No. 234 regarding the conduct of firing exercises at sea. Issued in the name of Minister of Defense Shinjiro Koizumi, firing exercises involving 9 to 10 Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) vessels will be conducted in mid-September across four sea areas: north of Wakasa Bay, southeast of Hachijojima, south of the Bungo Channel, and south of the Goto Islands.

The notices serve to publicize the conduct of firing exercises at sea for the purpose of ensuring the safety of vessels and aircraft navigating the surrounding waters. During the exercises, the participating vessels will hoist the “B” flag, and operations will be carried out while confirming that no aircraft or vessels are present on the firing surface. The latitude and longitude of each area are based on the World Geodetic System.

Conducted in Mid-September Across Four Sea Areas

• North of Wakasa Bay (Notice No. 234): September 17 (Reserve: 16th and 18th) 0700–2100, 9 JMSDF vessels
• Southeast of Hachijojima (Notice No. 232): September 14–18, 0600–1800, 10 JMSDF vessels
• South of the Bungo Channel (Notice No. 231): September 14–18 (Reserve: 19th and 20th) 0600–1800, 9 JMSDF vessels
• South of the Goto Islands (Notice No. 233): September 14–18, 0800–1700, 9 JMSDF vessels

Areas and Firing Altitudes

• North of Wakasa Bay: The sea surface enclosed by lines connecting four points in sequence; altitude of 15,240 meters or less from the sea surface.
• Southeast of Hachijojima: Within a circle with a radius of 25 nautical miles centered at 31°14'14"N, 144°26'48"E; altitude of 18,288 meters or less.
• South of the Bungo Channel: The sea surface enclosed by lines connecting six points in sequence; altitude of 15,240 meters or less.
• South of the Goto Islands: The sea surface enclosed by latitude and longitude lines; altitude of 15,240 meters or less.

Measures for Navigation Safety

Firing exercises will be conducted while confirming that no aircraft are present in the aforementioned areas and no vessels are present on the firing surface. During the exercises, the participating vessels will hoist the “B” flag. The latitude and longitude of each area are based on the World Geodetic System.

Vessels and aircraft navigating the surrounding waters must exercise sufficient caution regarding the notified areas and timeframes to ensure safety. For details, please refer to the full text of each notice published in the Official Gazette.

Source: Ministry of Defense Notices No. 231–234 (September 9, 2026, Minister of Defense Shinjiro Koizumi), Official Gazette dated September 9, 2026 (20260909h017860007 · 20260909h017860008)