U.S. Hoping to Use Heavy Weapons in Training at 5 GSDF Sites

Jiji Press

11:14 JST, December 24, 2025

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)—The United States has informed Japan of its hope to additionally use heavy weapons, such as antitank missiles and rocket launchers, in the Marine Corps’ live-fire training at five firing ranges of Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force.

The notification from the U.S. side was announced by Japan’s Defense Ministry on Tuesday.

An official of the ministry said that it plans to allow the use of such weapons after obtaining the understanding of regional communities and started the same day to give explanations to local governments concerned.

The five sites in question are the Yausubetsu firing range in the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido, the Ojojihara range in the northeastern prefecture of Miyagi, the Kitafuji range in the central prefecture of Yamanashi, the Higashifuji range in neighboring Shizuoka Prefecture and the Hijudai range in Oita Prefecture, southwestern Japan.

U.S. forces in Japan had conducted live-fire training at the Marine Corps’ Camp Hansen in Okinawa Prefecture, southernmost Japan, across a prefectural highway that runs through the U.S. base, using heavy weapons and firearms including machine guns.

In 1997, training for firearms was relocated to the five GSDF sites outside Okinawa to reduce the burdens of local communities hosting Camp Hansen, where heavy weapons training has continued.

According to the Japanese ministry, the U.S. side has explained that the use of heavy weapons at the five GSDF firing ranges is being considered in order to conduct live-fire training more efficiently and more effectively in response to changes in the security situation.

The cap agreed upon between the two countries on the annual number of live-fire training days will remain unchanged even if the Marine Corps starts to use heavy weapons at the five GSDF firing ranges.