Over 1,000 Japanese protest government's plan to deploy long-range missiles in Kumamoto

TOKYO, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- More than 1,000 Japanese people gathered on Monday in front of the Ground Self-Defense Force's Camp Kengun base in Kumamoto Prefecture, protesting the government's plan to deploy long-range missiles at the facility.

Demonstrators held placards reading "No missiles" and "Don't turn Kumamoto into a battlefield." They chanted slogans such as "Military force cannot bring peace," calling on the government to scrap the deployment plan and provide a full explanation to local residents.

Masahiko Yamashita, a representative of the protest organizers, said the planned missile deployment is unacceptable under Article 9 of Japan's pacifist Constitution.

According to earlier reports by Japanese media outlets, the Defense Ministry plans to deploy an upgraded Type 12 surface-to-ship missile system at the Camp Kengun facility by the end of March. The plan has long drawn criticism within Japan.