US Missile Retreat Sparks China’s Threat

Beijing,,China,-,March,27,,2013:,Chinese,Soldiers,On,Tiananmen

America’s withdrawal of advanced missile systems from Japan has emboldened China to publish detailed nuclear strike plans targeting Japanese cities.

Story Highlights

U.S. removed Typhon missile battery from Japan in November after Chinese protests, sending signal of weakness
Chinese officials issued direct assassination threats against Japanese PM and published nuclear strike scenarios
China expert Gordon Chang warns risk of war with China now at highest level ever recorded
Timing coincides with Japan’s declaration that Chinese attack on Taiwan would threaten Japan’s survival

America Blinks First in High-Stakes Missile Standoff

The Pentagon deployed its cutting-edge Typhon missile battery to Japan’s Iwakuni Marine Corps Air Station in September 2025 for the “Resolute Dragon” military exercise. The system, capable of launching Tomahawk cruise missiles and SM-6 interceptors, marked the first time America stationed mid-range missiles on Japanese soil since World War II. China immediately protested the deployment as a threat to regional security.

By November 17, the U.S. quietly withdrew the advanced weapons system. The timing could not have been worse. Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi had just declared that any Chinese attack on Taiwan would constitute a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan, effectively drawing a red line that Beijing interpreted as a provocation requiring immediate response.

GORDON CHANG: Risk Of War With China Highest Ever As U.S. Pulls Missiles From Japan https://t.co/8qhP3gS0U9

— Bart Marcois (@bmarcois) November 30, 2025

China Escalates with Assassination Threats and Nuclear Strike Plans

Within hours of Takaichi’s Taiwan statement, Chinese Consul General Xue Jian posted a chilling message on social media platform X. The post, widely interpreted as an assassination threat against Japan’s Prime Minister, represented an unprecedented escalation in diplomatic hostility. Such direct threats against a sitting head of government cross every boundary of civilized international relations.

China’s state-controlled media outlet Guancha published a detailed report on November 24 outlining nuclear strike scenarios against Japan. The publication identified specific targets and provided casualty estimates, transforming abstract military posturing into concrete threat assessment. This level of specificity in nuclear planning signals Beijing’s willingness to move beyond rhetoric toward operational preparation.

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Expert Analysis Reveals Strategic Catastrophe

Gordon Chang, the renowned China expert who predicted the Communist Party’s structural vulnerabilities decades before they became apparent, delivered a stark assessment. “When the risk of war with China has never been higher, this is absolutely the worst possible moment for the U.S. to have removed important weapons from Japan,” Chang warned. His analysis carries particular weight given his track record of accurately forecasting Chinese strategic behavior.

James Fanell, government fellow at the Geneva Center for Security Policy, noted that Beijing’s reaction showed “unprecedented vitriol and aggression.” The former naval intelligence officer’s assessment suggests China views the missile withdrawal as confirmation that America lacks resolve when confronted with sustained pressure.

Strategic Implications for Regional Security

The withdrawal sends dangerous signals throughout the Indo-Pacific region. America’s Asian allies, particularly Taiwan and South Korea, must now question whether Washington will maintain military support when China applies diplomatic and economic pressure. The Typhon system’s 1,000-mile range had provided genuine deterrent capability against Chinese military installations and naval bases.

Japan continues deploying its own defensive systems, including surface-to-air missiles on Yonaguni Island near Taiwan. However, these defensive measures cannot substitute for the offensive strike capability that America just removed.