Defense Minister Nakatani Gen visited Japan's westernmost island of Yonaguni in Okinawa Prefecture on January 22.

He spoke to troops at the Ground Self-Defense Force's garrison, located about 110 kilometers from Taiwan.

Japan set up the garrison in 2016 considering China's increasing military activities.

It is the prefecture's first GSDF garrison outside its main island and includes the elec-tronic warfare unit that disrupts enemy communications and radar.

Nakatani reiterated the central government's plan to deploy anti-aircraft missile troops here.

S/ Defense Minister Nakatani Gen / The real challenge lies ahead. To further strengthen regions like this, we plan to deploy the surface-to-air guided missile unit responsible for air defense at the garrison on Yonaguni.

The Defense Ministry said land acquisition procedures are underway for deploying a new missile unit on the island.

Nakatani also met with Yonaguni Mayor Itokazu Kenichi.

They discussed the mayor's request for designation to allow the airport and harbors on the island to be used during peacetime by the Self-Defense Forces and others for pur-poses such as training.

The defense minister said the central government will discuss the matter with the Oki-nawa prefectural government.