TOKYO, March 31, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Japan has deployed long-range missiles in a southwest region near China, its defence minister said Tuesday, at a time when ties with Beijing are at their lowest in recent years. The missiles were installed in Kumamoto in the southern region of Kyushu, as Japan is attempting to shore up its military capacity as China steps up naval activity in the East China Sea. "Standoff defense capabilities enable us to counter the threat of enemy forces attempting to invade our country... while ensuring the safety of our personnel," said Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi. Japan has long had a policy to use its military only for self defence in its most strict meaning. China is beefing up its military and is engaged in a number of territorial disputes with other countries in the region, including Japan over the Senkaku Islands, known as the Diaoyu in China.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha March 31, 2026 08:49 UTC