Japan and Philippine defense ministers will witness on Wednesday, the first live fire training of Japan surface-to-ship missile in the country.

The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) is set to fire Type 88 surface-to-ship missile during the maritime strike training as part of this year's Balikatan exercise in Ilocos Norte.

The Type 88 surface-to-ship missile is a truck-mounted, land-based anti-ship cruise missile developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the JGSDF.

It has a strike range of up to180 km primarily used for coastal defense.

In his opening statement before the defense ministerial meeting in Makati on Tuesday, Japan Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced that he will witness the training with his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro, Jr.

"Tomorrow I will observe exercise Balikatan 26 together with you. And Japan has approximately 1400 self-defense forces personnel, significantly more than last year...10 times increase and will conduct field training under the framework of RAA. This will also include the first ever live fire training of Japan surface-to-ship missiles in the Philippines," he said.

"I look forward to seeing with my own eyes, this new step forward in the rapidly advancing Japan, Philippines defense cooperation," he added.

Koizumi also noted that the training "also demonstrate Japan's commitment not only with strengthening defense cooperation with the Philippines but also to continuing to contribute to peace and stability in the region."

Col. Dennis Hernandez, Balikatan 2026 spokesperson, said the exercise will be participated by the United States, Philippines, Japan and Canada.

"There'll be a series of safety checks before firing munitions, armaments in a sequence. Sequential event," he said.

Hernandez said the sequence includes the firing of United States Guided Multiple Launch Rockets (GMLR) followed by Japan's Type 88 surface-to-ship missile then the Philippine FA-50 fighter jet, AGM-65 G2 "Maverick" air-to-surface guided missiles, the Super Tucano attack aircraft firing the Mark 82 bomb and Canada's 57 millimeter Bofor anti-aircraft gun. Robina Asido/PHS