Exercise plans on the island's website show that the Japanese military may also field its own surface-to-air and anti-ship missile systems on Yonaguni during the drills. The island is situated roughly 107 km from the coast of Taiwan and has previously served as a transit point for US Marines bringing in ship-killing missile launchers.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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US Deploys First Anti-Ship Missiles to Japan for October Drill
War18 days ago
Advanced maritime defense systems are being moved to a remote Pacific outpost as part of a scheduled training event later this month. The US military is planning this first-time deployment of an anti-ship missile system to a Japanese island near Taiwan, specifically employing the NMESIS system which possesses a strike range of approximately 115 miles.
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