Japan Still Deciding Where to Base New Anti-Ship Missiles; China Surges Military Aircraft Near Taiwan

Japan Defense Minister Gen Nakatani in a Tuesday press conference refuted reports that the improved Type 12 surface-to-ship missile will be deployed first with units on the main island of Kyushu, claiming the Ministry of Defense was still examining locations. Meanwhile, China carried out more than 50 aircraft sorties around Taiwan from Monday to Tuesday as part of a military drill around Taiwan it claims are in response to foreign support for Taiwan’s independence. On Sunday, Japan’s Kyodo News, citing government sources, reported that the improved Type 12 SSMs – which have a range of 1,000 km compared with the