U.S. Military to Store Typhon Missile Launcher in Okinawa

Tokyo, Sept. 30 (Jiji Press)--The U.S. military is planning to bring a Typhon mobile intermediate-range missile launcher to its Kadena Air Base in Japan's southernmost prefecture of Okinawa as early as mid-October for storage there.

The Japanese Defense Ministry is seeking understanding for the move, stressing that it will strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance.

However, local governments are calling for the withdrawal of the plan amid strong concerns that the missile system may be permanently deployed at the base, which straddles the city of Okinawa and the towns of Kadena and Chatan.

At a press conference Tuesday, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said that storing a Typhon launcher at Kadena could "effectively demonstrate the mobile deployment capability of the U.S. military," adding that strengthening the Japan-U.S. alliance is "essential to protecting peaceful lives."

The U.S. Army's Typhon system can fire Tomahawk cruise missiles, which have a range of about 1,600 kilometers and can reach the Chinese mainland from Japan.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]