In response to rising regional tensions, Japan has reportedly moved troops equipped with a ground-launched missile system to a remote island base in the East China Sea.
According to reports, the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) has deployed a unit of its Type 16 Mobile Combat Vehicle (MCV) to the island of Miyako-jima in Okinawa Prefecture. The MCV is a wheeled armored vehicle that is equipped with a short-range surface-to-surface missile system.
The deployment comes amid rising tensions in the region, as China continues its aggressive military buildup in the nearby South China Sea and East China Sea, and Japan’s relations with South Korea remain strained.
The Japanese government has not publicly commented on the deployment, though a spokesman for the GSDF confirmed it was taking place.
The move is likely intended as a warning to China, as well as a deterrent against any potential aggression by other countries in the region. It also serves to demonstrate Japan’s commitment to the defense of its remote island territories.