Japan deploys surface-to-ship missile launcher on easternmost island

TOKYO, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) has deployed a Type-12 surface-to-ship missile launcher and related equipment on Minamitorishima, the nation's easternmost island, for the first time.

The GSDF announced the deployment in a social media post on Sunday, saying the equipment was transported to the remote island as part of preparations for the construction of a live-fire training range.

According to the GSDF, the deployment is intended to verify whether the equipment can operate properly under local conditions. It said that no missile bodies were transported to the island during this deployment.

Public broadcaster NHK previously reported that the Ministry of Defense transported a Type-12 surface-to-ship missile launcher and target-acquisition reconnaissance drones from a port in Chiba Prefecture to Minamitorishima by ferry on June 8.

The GSDF hopes to begin firing drills from as early as the next fiscal year, which starts in April 2027, the report said.

The move has drawn concerns that it could further heighten regional tensions, prompting widespread criticism.