Japan increases military presence in the southwest region

A senior Japanese official said that while trying to close the "defense gap" in the Nansei island chain, which stretches from Kyushu island to near Taiwan, the Japanese Defense Ministry is rushing to strengthen deterrence capabilities in Kyushu, according to Jiji News Agency.

Specifically, the Japanese Ministry of Defense will establish a squadron of F-35B stealth fighters and a surface-to-ship missile unit in Kyushu.

In fiscal 2024 (starting in April 2024), six F-35B fighter jets, capable of short takeoffs and vertical landings, will be deployed to Japan for the first time. These F-35Bs will be part of a temporary squadron established at the Air Self-Defense Force's Nyutabaru base in Miyazaki Prefecture, in the Kyushu region.

Japan Air Self-Defense Force's Nyutabaru base in Miyazaki Prefecture, where six F-35B fighter jets are expected to be deployed by fiscal 2024.

Screenshot The Japan Times

The F-35Bs will operate from the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Izumo and Kaga destroyers to help maintain air superiority over the vast southwest region.

In addition, a surface-to-ship missile regiment will be established at the Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) Yufuin Camp in Oita Prefecture, also in Kyushu, to prepare for possible contingencies in the region.

Japan's Defense Ministry is also planning to strengthen the GSDF's Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade, Japan's version of the US Marine Corps, based at the GSDF's Camp Ainoura in Nagasaki Prefecture.

During a meeting at the Pentagon on October 4, Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin agreed to increase the presence of the two countries, taking into account the importance of responding to possible contingencies in Taiwan and protecting the Nansei Island chain.

China’s H-6 bombers, often spotted around Japan’s Okinawa island, are believed to be capable of carrying anti-ship cruise missiles with a range of more than 1,500 kilometers. This capability means Japan faces an urgent need to strengthen its defenses against such long-range weapons, according to JiJi.

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