Okinawa’s missile unit deployment

About 90 people, including defense officials, attended a ceremony to mark the first local deployment of surface-to-ship missiles on the main island of Okinawa in Japan on Saturday. In March, Japan’s Defense Ministry deployed a Ground Self-Defense unit to the GSDF’s Katsuren camp in Okinawa city of Uruma to operate the Type-12 surface-to-ship missiles.

State Minister of Defense Oniki Makoto said the unit is expected to play a central role in Japan’s defense of the southwestern region. The contingent will also take on the role of supervising other missile units deployed on Miyakojima and Ishigakijima islands in Okinawa as well as Amami-oshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture.