The head of the U.S. Army, which is in charge of the Pacific region, inspected for the first time the garrison of the Ground Self-Defense Force on Amami Oshima, Kagoshima Prefecture.
It seems that the aim is to appeal to China and others, which are strengthening their maritime advances, of the cooperation between Japan and the United States.
Commander Charles Flynn of the U.S. Army Pacific visited Amami Oshima on the 8th with Chief of Staff Yoshihide Yoshida, the top of the Ground Self-Defense Force.
On Amami Oshima, etc., joint training between the Self-Defense Forces and the US military, which assumes the defense of remote islands, is being held until the 9th.
Afterwards, they visited the Amami Garrison and observed the deployment training of the Ground Self-Defense Force's "Type 12 Surface-to-Ship Guided Missile".
The Ministry of Defense plans to extend the range of the "Type 12 surface-to-ship guided missile" so that it can attack from outside the target's range, keeping in mind the so-called "counterattack capability" that targets missile launch sites.
"I am deeply concerned by China's irresponsible behavior in the region," Flynn said after the visit.
Chief of Staff Yoshida said, "The series of exercises will show that the status quo cannot be changed by force, and will be of great significance to the peace and stability of the region."
According to the Ground Self-Defense Force, it is the first time for a commander of the US Pacific Army to visit Amami Oshima, and it is believed that the purpose is to appeal to China and others, which are strengthening their maritime advances, on the cooperation between Japan and the United States.