Japan to deploy first long-range missiles capable of reaching North Korea and China

File. A Tomahawk missile launches from an American cruiser during an operation in the Mediterranean Sea on 23 March 2003 - (AP)

Japan is reportedly considering deploying long-range missiles on its southernmost island, putting North Korea and Chinese coastal areas in range amid the Donald Trump administration’s shaky stance on security pacts.

The land-to-ship guided missiles with a range of about 1,000km on the Kyushu island would be capable of hitting targets in North Korea and China and thus boost the country’s “counterstrike capabilities” in the event of an emergency, government sources told news outlet Kyodo.