Tokyo: Japan's deputy defense minister has met with the mayor of a southern island to seek his support for a planned deployment of hundreds of troops to bolster defense in the region including nearby disputed East China Sea islands.
Officials say Vice Minister of Defense Kenji Wakamiya was in Ishigaki on Thursday to explain to mayor Yoshitaka Nakayama a plan to deploy about 500 ground troops on the island beginning in 2019.
The troops would belong to units for emergency response in case of infiltration on nearby islands or for missile defense.
Ishigaki has jurisdiction over the Japanese-controlled Senkaku islands, which China also claims and calls the Diaoyu islands.
Japan has stepped up defense readiness amid a Chinese military buildup and its aggressive patrols near the disputed islands.
Officials say Vice Minister of Defense Kenji Wakamiya was in Ishigaki on Thursday to explain to mayor Yoshitaka Nakayama a plan to deploy about 500 ground troops on the island beginning in 2019.
The troops would belong to units for emergency response in case of infiltration on nearby islands or for missile defense.
Ishigaki has jurisdiction over the Japanese-controlled Senkaku islands, which China also claims and calls the Diaoyu islands.
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Chinese Woman's Refusal To Stow Louis Vuitton Bag Causes Major Flight Delay, Goes Viral Japan Lifts Megaquake Warning, Says Citizens Can Return To Normal Life Japan Set To Lift Megaquake Warning If There Is No "Major Seismic Activity" Who Is Jasveen Sangha, "Ketamine Queen" Charged With Matthew Perry's Death "Don't Expect Anything From Me": Kolkata Hospital's New Principal Loses Cool Mamata Banerjee To Take Out Rally Over Rape-Murder. Trinamool Explains Why UCC To Corruption, 4 Messages From Modi's Independence Day Speech What ISRO's 'Baby Rocket' Launch Means For India's Future In Space Pakistan Reports 1st M-Pox Case As Saudi Arabia Returnee Tests Positive Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.