- 14 Mar 2002
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Japan is set to station long-range missiles on Kyushu , its southernmost main island, in response to concerns over regional tensions and uncertainty surrounding the Trump administration's commitment to security agreements. With an estimated range of 1,000 kilometres, these missiles would be capable of striking targets in North Korea and along China's coastline.
Scheduled for deployment next year at two existing missile garrisons, they are intended to strengthen defences around the strategically vital Okinawa island chain and form part of Japan's broader development of "counterstrike capabilities" in the event of an attack, according to reports from Kyodo News citing government sources. However, placing these long-range missiles directly on the Okinawa islands, which extend to within 110 kilometres of Taiwan, is unlikely, as Japan seeks to avoid provoking China. At present, the region is already equipped with missile batteries of shorter range.
www.theguardian.com
Scheduled for deployment next year at two existing missile garrisons, they are intended to strengthen defences around the strategically vital Okinawa island chain and form part of Japan's broader development of "counterstrike capabilities" in the event of an attack, according to reports from Kyodo News citing government sources. However, placing these long-range missiles directly on the Okinawa islands, which extend to within 110 kilometres of Taiwan, is unlikely, as Japan seeks to avoid provoking China. At present, the region is already equipped with missile batteries of shorter range.
"As the threat from China and North Korea has been mounting, it is natural for Japan to counter this with more effective weapons systems," said Yoichi Shimada, professor emeritus at Fukui Prefectural University. "I think Japan should rapidly deploy longer-range missiles to develop more robust security." [...] Shimada believes that "proactive measures" such as boosting its missile systems will strengthen US-Japan ties and that "demands from the Trump administration for reciprocal defence arrangements with Japan are not so unreasonable". [...] "It is clear to anyone observing this that the US-Japan alliance is in bad shape," said Dujarric. "Even if China attacked Japan, there is no guarantee that the US under Trump would do anything. That is a big problem."
Japan to deploy long-range missiles able to hit North Korea and China
Planned missiles on Kyushu said to be part of ‘counterstrike capabilities’, as fears grow over US security pact