Japan Begins Transporting Missile Launchers to Minamitorishima

The Japanese Defence Ministry on Monday began transporting missile launchers and other equipment to Minamitorishima, the country’s easternmost island in the Pacific, ahead of plans to build a missile firing range and conduct live-fire drills there. According to public broadcaster NHK, the ministry began dispatching Ground Self-Defence Force (GSDF) Type 12 surface-to-ship missile launchers, along with a medium-sized unmanned reconnaissance aircraft for surveillance and target positioning, via ferry from a port in Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo, to the island on Monday morning. Local media reported that this will mark the first deployment of Japan’s GSDF surface-to-ship missiles to Minamitorishima, which is part of the Tokyo-administered Ogasawara Islands. The move has sparked widespread concern and criticism, with observers warning that it could escalate regional tensions. Japan reportedly plans to build a firing range on the island for various weapons, including Type 12 surface-to-ship missiles, with live-fire drills scheduled to begin in 2027.