Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Type-12 surface-to-ship guided missile (right)
Japan is considering deploying long-range missiles on the southwestern island of Kyushu, in an effort to equip itself with “counterattack capabilities” to attack enemy targets in an emergency, Kyodo news agency reported recently.
The deployment, scheduled to begin by the end of the next fiscal year in March 2026, is aimed at bolstering the security of the Nansei island chain in the country's southwest, which is strategically important due to its proximity to Taiwan.
Authorities are assessing potential deployment sites, while local residents fear they could become targets in enemy attacks, sources said.
The missiles may be deployed at the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) surface-to-ship missile regiment garrisons in Yufu, Oita Prefecture, and Kumamoto City.
Okinawa prefecture in the south, which is closer to mainland China, is unlikely to be the site of the deployment due to concerns it could increase tensions with Beijing.
The missiles deployed are upgraded versions of the GSDF's Type-12 land-to-ship guided missiles, which have an extended range of up to 1,000 km. Deployment in Kyushu would put North Korea and coastal areas of China within range.
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As the threat grows, Japan naturally has to respond with more effective weapons systems, said Yoichi Shimada, professor emeritus at Fukui Prefectural University in Japan.
"I think Japan should quickly take measures such as deploying long-range missiles to strengthen security more strongly," he said, according to The Guardian .
On March 6, US President Donald Trump complained that the security treaty with Japan is not reciprocal.
"We have a great relationship with Japan, but we have an interesting agreement with Japan that we have to protect them, but they don't have to protect us," he said.
The treaty was first signed in 1951, when Japan was still under US military occupation. Japan's ability to take military action is limited by Article 9 of its constitution.
Professor Shimada believes that “proactive measures” such as strengthening missile systems will strengthen US-Japan relations, and “demands from the Trump administration for reciprocal defense agreements with Japan are not unreasonable.”
But Mr Trump's statements about allies and NATO, including Canada and Denmark, have some in Japan concerned about his administration's commitment to honoring long-standing treaties, said Robert Dujarric, an expert at Temple University in Tokyo.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nhat-sap-trien-khai-them-ten-lua-tam-xa-vi-so-my-giam-cam-ket-185250318090048616.htm
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