In the context of growing regional tensions and increased Chinese military activity, Japan ’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that a short-range Type 03 air-defense system will be deployed in February 2026 on the island of Yonaguni, the country’s westernmost inhabited point and the Japanese island closest to Taiwan. The measure was announced by Defense Minister Minoru Kihara during an official visit to the local garrison on November 23.
According to the information released, the system will be operated by the Air-Defense Regiment of the JGSDF’s 15th Brigade, part of the Southwestern Command, a unit that already maintains a detachment on Yonaguni responsible for airspace surveillance and control. This reinforcement directly responds to what Tokyo describes as an “increasingly severe” strategic environment due to the rise in Chinese flights and military activity around the First Island Chain, particularly in areas near Okinawa and the Taiwan Strait.
Although the Ministry of Defense did not provide further details, the mention of the Type 03 Chū-SAM led Japanese military sources to indicate that it will consist of a short-range air-defense battery designed domestically to intercept aircraft, helicopters, and drones operating near island areas.
In service with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force since 2003, this platform is mounted on an 8×8 mobile launcher, with each launcher carrying a canister containing six interceptors. This type of capability is part of the broader measures outlined in Japan’s National Security Strategy and Defense Buildup Plan, aimed at reinforcing the protection of remote islands through sensors, radars, anti-ship missiles, and air-defense systems.
The deployment of this battery on Yonaguni aligns with growing concerns regarding security around Taiwan, located just 110 kilometers from the Japanese island. According to the Taipei Times, Taiwanese authorities consider Yonaguni a key point for monitoring air and maritime routes where China maintains an active presence as part of its military pressure operations, including incursions into Taiwan’s ADIZ. For Tokyo, expanding military assets in the southwest — including anti-ship missiles, electronic-warfare units, and new interception capabilities — is essential to strengthen deterrence in a highly sensitive area.
During his visit, Minister Kihara stated that Japan’s military presence on Yonaguni and in the southern islands “is essential to protect the lives and security of our citizens, as well as to strengthen our integrated defense posture across all operational domains.” The Southwestern Command, which covers Okinawa and the Sakishima Islands, has become a focal point of strategic investment in recent years, coinciding with increased Chinese bomber flights, naval patrols, and intelligence activities nearby.
Finally, highlighting the island’s growing importance, the United States Marine Corps (USMC) established a forward arming and refueling point (FARP) on Yonaguni in late October as part of Joint Exercise 07 with the JGSDF. According to the USMC, FARPs allow fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft to be refueled and rearmed in advanced environments, extending their operational range during expeditionary missions.
The deployment of the new air-defense system will complement the surveillance radars installed in 2016 and the increased Japanese military presence on the island. It will also integrate into Japan’s broader air- and missile-defense network, which includes Patriot PAC-3 batteries deployed nationwide — including in Okinawa Prefecture on islands such as Miyako, Ishigaki, and Yonaguni — and eight Aegis-equipped destroyers armed with SM-3 ballistic-missile interceptors and, in the future, SM-6 missiles.
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