Shinzo Abe administration has begun to consider deployment of a company for surface-to-ship missiles on the main island of Okinawa. With connected operation to another company already planned to deploy on Miyakojima Island, they will deal with active moves of Chinese Navy going out to Pacific Ocean through the sea area between those two islands, or Strait of Miyako. It may cause further escalation of security situation in East China Sea.
It was November 2008 when four vessels with Chinese Navy passed Strait of Miyako, which has the width of 290 kilometers, for the firs time and advanced to Pacific Ocean. Afterward, they frequently commuted between East China Sea and Pacific Ocean and Japanese government reconfirmed that a nuclear-powered Chinese submarine passed the strait last month. While international maritime law guarantees free navigation of vessels in the high seas, frequent passage of Chinese military vessels has become a threat for United States Force in Western Pacific.
The government of Japan included possession of SSM companies for defending isolated islands in National Defense Program Guidelines in 2013. In Medium Term Defense Program between 2014 and 2018, it stressed necessity of enhancing defense capability in Southwestern Archipelago. According to the alignment plan of Ground Self-defense Force, 12-type SSM companies would be deployed on the islands of Miyakojima, Ishigakijima and Amami Oshima. In addition, companies of surface-to-air missile would also be deployed on those islands.
Asahi Shimbun reported on Tuesday that Abe administration had a plan of deploying a company of GSDF with 12-type SSM, which had the range of 200 kilometers. Because that SSM cannot cover whole Miyako Starit only from Miyakojima, Abe administration decided to have another company on the opposite side. SSM in Miyakojima or the main island of Okinawa will be able to catch all the Chinese ships within its range.
It is likely that China will oppose the deployment of SSM in Okinawa. China has been sending not only military vessels or submarines to the area, but aircrafts beyond the strait. Early-warning aircrafts, bombers or fighter jets have passed beyond Miyako Strait these years. Deployment of SSM companies is an apparent countermeasure against China’s advance.
People in Okinawa embrace uneasiness on new SSM deployment. Their ordinary life has been threatened with consecutive falls of military helicopters or their parts, generating resentment against US Force and JSDF. There is consistent protest against building new US base in Henoko. SSM plan in the mainland of Okinawa will face certain protest of the local people.
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