Japan's defence ministry has successfully conducted its first live firing of a ship-mounted electromagnetic railgun against a target vessel at sea, reports Paris-based Naval News.

The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) announced the test on 10 September, sharing images of the firing trials via its official X and Facebook accounts.

The railgun, installed on the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's test ship Asuka, completed long-range firings and direct hits on a target vessel during the trials.

ATLA said further details will be presented at its Technological Symposium 2025 in Tokyo on November 11-12.

A previous test in October 2023 marked the world's first railgun firing at sea, using an earlier version of the weapon.

A half-scale model of the railgun was showcased at DSEI Japan 2025, held in Chiba Prefecture from 21 to 23 May.

Railguns use electrical energy to launch hypervelocity projectiles. In earlier trials, ATLA achieved speeds of 2,297 metres per second-nearly Mach 7-surpassing conventional tank guns.

The system offers rapid-fire capability and lower cost per intercept compared to traditional missiles, making it a promising defence against hypersonic threats from China, North Korea and Russia.

However, railguns require substantial power and miniaturisation remains a challenge for shipboard deployment.

Tokyo is accelerating development of advanced weapons including railguns, high-power microwaves and lasers to counter regional missile threats.

These technologies are expected to become "game changers" in missile defence, enabling simultaneous interception of multiple threats at reduced cost.