Indo - Japan Relations
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The broadcaster for the Japan-India T20I is expected to be decided in the next day or two. Cricbuzz understands that quotations have been sought from all the major Indian broadcasters, including Star Sports, Sony Sports and Zee, for the game. The Japan Cricket Association (JCA) will allot the broadcast and digital rights for the September 22 match.
With the governments of both countries backing the match, interest levels among private parties is believed to be encouraging. As a source put it, this is not about a game between the No. 1-ranked and No. 41-ranked sides; it is about taking the game to new territories and having the world champions in action.
“Cricket’s global journey is being shaped by moments that take the game beyond its traditional boundaries. The India–Japan T20I match on 22nd. September,’26 is one such moment taking international cricket to Japan, connecting with a new audience and strengthening the game’s presence in a region with immense potential,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said in his social media handle.
The match will be the first step of “Sport 75”, an initiative by the top leaders of the countries – Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi of Japan. The initiative aims to promote human exchanges and cooperation between India and Japan in the field of sports, taking note of India’s ambition to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036.
Japan Confirms Dispatch to India to Explore Anti-Ship Missile Drills
Discussions highlight the training challenges posed by Japan’s expanding arsenal and opportunities for closer defense cooperation with New Delhi.
By Takahashi Kosuke
October 27, 2026
A Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) Type 88 surface-to-ship missile is launched during a live-fire exercise. Credit: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.
Japan has dispatched personnel to India to explore possible live-fire training involving Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) surface-to-ship missiles and small attack drones, GSDF Chief of Staff General Arai Masayoshi confirmed at a press conference on October 27.
“It is true that we dispatched personnel to coordinate various matters with India,” the head of the GSDF said.
The confirmation followed an October 21 report by public broadcaster NHK that Defense Ministry officials had traveled to India in mid-October and spent about one week inspecting test facilities and firing ranges.
The missile system for any prospective exercise has not been selected, and no decision has been made to conduct the training. But the exploratory talks attempt to solve a new problem for Japan.
“When operating relatively long-range missiles, such as surface-to-ship missiles, how to conduct training that makes use of their range is a major challenge,” Arai said.
The service is examining how to secure suitable training environments in Japan while also considering overseas facilities, he added.
The issue is becoming increasingly important as Japan expands its stand-off defense capabilities. Acquiring missiles capable of reaching targets hundreds of kilometers away is only part of the challenge. Personnel must also be trained to deploy and operate these weapons effectively.
Japan’s newly deployed Type 25 surface-to-ship guided missile illustrates the growing training requirements.
The GSDF deployed the missile to Camp Kengun in Kumamoto Prefecture in March 2026. Its range is believed to be around 1,000 kilometers, compared with around 200 kilometers for the earlier Type 12 surface-to-ship missile.
On October 25, during Keen Sword 27, a large-scale Japan-U.S. joint exercise running from October 19 to 29, the GSDF demonstrated the Type 25 to reporters at a training area spanning Nagasaki and Saga prefectures. Personnel demonstrated procedures for deploying a mobile launcher and preparing it for firing, but no missile was launched.
Such exercises help troops practice operating the system, but live-fire training that makes full use of its range presents additional challenges involving safety, airspace, maritime areas, and coordination with relevant authorities.
There is no confirmation that the Type 25 specifically would be used in India.
Japan has previously conducted surface-to-ship missile firing exercises in the United States and Australia. During the Philippine-U.S. Balikatan exercise in April and May 2026, the GSDF conducted such training in the Philippines for the first time, firing its Type 88 surface-to-ship missile.
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro later told the Asahi Shimbun that the Type 88 was one of the leading candidates for acquisition by Manila.
Access to training facilities in India could further expand Japan’s overseas options while creating opportunities for closer cooperation with New Delhi.
“India is an important partner in the Indo-Pacific region, and we recognize the importance of promoting various forms of defense cooperation and exchanges amid an increasingly severe and complex security environment,” Arai, the GSDF chief, said.
Japan and India already conduct bilateral military exercises and cooperate with the United States and Australia through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, against the backdrop of growing concerns over China’s maritime activities.
However, the latest discussions concern possible bilateral arrangements, not an announced Quad military exercise. Potential Japanese missile training in India would add a practical dimension to bilateral defense cooperation.
Asked specifically about small attack drones, Arai confirmed that training involving such systems was also among the possibilities being explored.
He identified several challenges associated with training involving these systems, including radio frequencies, training content, suitable locations, operational conditions, and safety management.
Training arrangements must also reflect when, where, and how the GSDF expects to employ the drones, Arai explained. The service is considering both domestic training environments and possible overseas alternatives.
The general said no decision had been made on whether overseas training would precede domestic exercises or proceed alongside them. Conducting live-fire training in Japan would require coordination with relevant local governments and other authorities, taking account of the training activities and safety requirements.
For now, the India discussions remain exploratory. Neither the location nor the timing of any prospective exercise has been announced.
As Japan’s weapons gain greater reach, deciding where and how to train with them is becoming a matter of diplomacy as well as military planning.
Japan Confirms Dispatch to India to Explore Anti-Ship Missile Drills
Discussions highlight the training challenges posed by Japan’s expanding arsenal and opportunities for closer defense cooperation with New Delhi.
By Takahashi Kosuke
October 27, 2026
A Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) Type 88 surface-to-ship missile is launched during a live-fire exercise. Credit: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.
Japan has dispatched personnel to India to explore possible live-fire training involving Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) surface-to-ship missiles and small attack drones, GSDF Chief of Staff General Arai Masayoshi confirmed at a press conference on October 27.
“It is true that we dispatched personnel to coordinate various matters with India,” the head of the GSDF said.
The confirmation followed an October 21 report by public broadcaster NHK that Defense Ministry officials had traveled to India in mid-October and spent about one week inspecting test facilities and firing ranges.
The missile system for any prospective exercise has not been selected, and no decision has been made to conduct the training. But the exploratory talks attempt to solve a new problem for Japan.
“When operating relatively long-range missiles, such as surface-to-ship missiles, how to conduct training that makes use of their range is a major challenge,” Arai said.
The service is examining how to secure suitable training environments in Japan while also considering overseas facilities, he added.
The issue is becoming increasingly important as Japan expands its stand-off defense capabilities. Acquiring missiles capable of reaching targets hundreds of kilometers away is only part of the challenge. Personnel must also be trained to deploy and operate these weapons effectively.
Japan’s newly deployed Type 25 surface-to-ship guided missile illustrates the growing training requirements.
The GSDF deployed the missile to Camp Kengun in Kumamoto Prefecture in March 2026. Its range is believed to be around 1,000 kilometers, compared with around 200 kilometers for the earlier Type 12 surface-to-ship missile.
On October 25, during Keen Sword 27, a large-scale Japan-U.S. joint exercise running from October 19 to 29, the GSDF demonstrated the Type 25 to reporters at a training area spanning Nagasaki and Saga prefectures. Personnel demonstrated procedures for deploying a mobile launcher and preparing it for firing, but no missile was launched.
Such exercises help troops practice operating the system, but live-fire training that makes full use of its range presents additional challenges involving safety, airspace, maritime areas, and coordination with relevant authorities.
There is no confirmation that the Type 25 specifically would be used in India.
Japan has previously conducted surface-to-ship missile firing exercises in the United States and Australia. During the Philippine-U.S. Balikatan exercise in April and May 2026, the GSDF conducted such training in the Philippines for the first time, firing its Type 88 surface-to-ship missile.
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro later told the Asahi Shimbun that the Type 88 was one of the leading candidates for acquisition by Manila.
Access to training facilities in India could further expand Japan’s overseas options while creating opportunities for closer cooperation with New Delhi.
“India is an important partner in the Indo-Pacific region, and we recognize the importance of promoting various forms of defense cooperation and exchanges amid an increasingly severe and complex security environment,” Arai, the GSDF chief, said.
Japan and India already conduct bilateral military exercises and cooperate with the United States and Australia through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, against the backdrop of growing concerns over China’s maritime activities.
However, the latest discussions concern possible bilateral arrangements, not an announced Quad military exercise. Potential Japanese missile training in India would add a practical dimension to bilateral defense cooperation.
Asked specifically about small attack drones, Arai confirmed that training involving such systems was also among the possibilities being explored.
He identified several challenges associated with training involving these systems, including radio frequencies, training content, suitable locations, operational conditions, and safety management.
Training arrangements must also reflect when, where, and how the GSDF expects to employ the drones, Arai explained. The service is considering both domestic training environments and possible overseas alternatives.
The general said no decision had been made on whether overseas training would precede domestic exercises or proceed alongside them. Conducting live-fire training in Japan would require coordination with relevant local governments and other authorities, taking account of the training activities and safety requirements.
For now, the India discussions remain exploratory. Neither the location nor the timing of any prospective exercise has been announced.
As Japan’s weapons gain greater reach, deciding where and how to train with them is becoming a matter of diplomacy as well as military planning.
Japan Confirms Dispatch to India to Explore Anti-Ship Missile Drills