US To Deploy Anti-Ship Missile System To Japanese Island Near Taiwan

What happened: The US military will deploy an anti-ship missile system to Yonaguni, Japan's westernmost island, as part of the Keen Sword exercise. The Okinawa Defense Bureau disclosed the deployment on October 1. Key numbers: Yonaguni lies 68 miles east of Taiwan. NMESIS range is about 115 miles. The first Marine Littoral Regiment was established in 2022. Why it matters: Chinese military expert Song Zhongping told the Global Times the deployment raises the risk of miscalculation, and Beijing may respond with its own drills in the area.

The US military will deploy an anti-ship missile system to Yonaguni, Japan's westernmost island, as part of the Keen Sword exercise. The Okinawa Defense Bureau disclosed the deployment on October 1.

Chinese military expert Song Zhongping told the Global Times the deployment raises the risk of miscalculation, and Beijing may respond with its own drills in the area.