"The surface-to-air missiles, which are capable of shooting down aircraft and ballistic missiles, will be located on Yonaguni—Japan's westernmost island—by March 2031, Shinjiro Koizumi said. It depends on the progress of preparing facilities, but we are planning for fiscal 2030, Koizumi told reporters, giving details about the deployment's schedule for the first time."
"Takaichi told MPs in November that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could lead to the involvement of her country's self-defence forces (SDF) if the conflict posed an existential threat to Japan. The remarks, which Takaichi has refused to withdraw, prompted China to urge its citizens not to travel to Japan, as well as restrictions on dual use exports to companies in Japan."
"Japan's defence ministry announced plans to bolster defences on remote western islands in 2022, as it shifted its security focus from threats from Russia in the north to countering Chinese military activity in the East China Sea. Yonaguni, which already hosts an SDF facility, lies 100km from Taiwan, and residents fear that they could quickly become caught up in a military confrontation."
Japan's defence minister announced plans to deploy surface-to-air missiles capable of shooting down aircraft and ballistic missiles to Yonaguni, Japan's westernmost island located 100km from Taiwan, by March 2031. This deployment follows Japan's 2022 strategic shift to prioritize countering Chinese military activity in the East China Sea over northern threats. The announcement comes amid diplomatic tensions between Tokyo and Beijing, triggered by Japan's prime minister stating that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger Japanese self-defence involvement if it posed an existential threat. China has responded with travel restrictions and export limitations. Yonaguni, home to 1,500 residents and an existing SDF facility, already hosts approximately 160 personnel monitoring Chinese naval movements via radar.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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