Posted: 04.01.2023 11:43:00

Japan to deploy air defence system on remote island near Taiwan

The Japanese Defence Ministry plans to buy land on the remote island of Yonaguni (southern Okinawa Prefecture), located in the immediate vicinity of Taiwan, in order to deploy an anti-aircraft missile system there, Asahi TV channel reports

PHOTO:WWW.REUTERS.COM

As informed, the deployment of a missile unit with an air defence system is part of a plan to strengthen Japan's remote southern borders in case the situation in the Taiwan Strait escalates.

It is also known that an electronic warfare unit will also be deployed on the island of Yonaguni, 110km from Taiwan, to suppress communications systems and radars of a potential enemy in case of emergency.

On December 16th, the Japanese government approved a new national security strategy, which is the fundamental document of the country's defence policy. In particular, it stipulates the right to launch counterattacks on targets on the territory of a potential enemy. According to available information, Tokyo's ambitious five-year plan will make the country the third largest in the world in terms of military spending (up to 2 percent of GDP) after the United States and China.