February 12, 2025
Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Representatives Tamura Takaaki on February 10 said that the budget for the construction of a Self-Defense Forces base on Mageshima Island (Kagoshima Pref.) already exceeds one trillion yen and could increase even more, and demanded that the construction plan be cancelled.
The “Joint Leaders’ Statement” issued following the Japan-U.S. Summit meeting on February 7 clearly states that the two leaders “intend to further strengthen U.S.-Japan deterrence and response capabilities by enhancing defense and security cooperation,” including by “increasing bilateral presence in Japan’s Southwest Islands.”
At the February 10 Lower House Budget Committee meeting, Tamura pointed out that Japan’s Defense Ministry positions Mageshima Island, which is located in the Nansei (southwest) islands, as an extremely important island for enhancing “U.S.-Japan Alliance deterrence and response capabilities”, and that the government is pushing ahead with the construction of an SDF base that will make the entire island a base of Japan-U.S. cooperation, including landing practice exercises for U.S. carrier-borne aircraft and Air SDF F-35B fighter jets.
According to the Defense Ministry data, the budget accumulated from FY 2012 to the FY 2025 budget proposal is 1,022.6 billion yen on a contract basis, and 332.7 billion yen has already been spent.
Tamura asked for the estimated total project cost.
Defense Minister Nakatani Gen admitted for the first time that the accumulated budget tops one trillion yen and also admitted to the 332.7 billion yen spent to date. He, however, did not provide the total project cost.
Tamura pointed to the possibility that the mooring facilities included in the construction plan may be used for Aegis-equipped vessels capable of launching Tomahawk cruise missiles to attack enemy bases on top of being equipped with an upgraded version of type 12 surface-to-ship guided missiles.
Nakatani responded, “The planned mooring facilities are designed to be used for large vessels such as supply ships and transport ships, but we have not yet made a detailed decision on Aegis-equipped vessels.”
Tamura said, “It is concerning that the government did not deny the possible use of the port by Aegis-equipped ships,” and once again demanded the cancellation of the base construction.
Past related articles:
> Rally held in protest against start of SDF base construction for FCLP relocation to Mageshima Island [January 12 & 13, 2023]
> Mageshima Island must not be turned into base for landing practice [June 18, 2011]
The “Joint Leaders’ Statement” issued following the Japan-U.S. Summit meeting on February 7 clearly states that the two leaders “intend to further strengthen U.S.-Japan deterrence and response capabilities by enhancing defense and security cooperation,” including by “increasing bilateral presence in Japan’s Southwest Islands.”
At the February 10 Lower House Budget Committee meeting, Tamura pointed out that Japan’s Defense Ministry positions Mageshima Island, which is located in the Nansei (southwest) islands, as an extremely important island for enhancing “U.S.-Japan Alliance deterrence and response capabilities”, and that the government is pushing ahead with the construction of an SDF base that will make the entire island a base of Japan-U.S. cooperation, including landing practice exercises for U.S. carrier-borne aircraft and Air SDF F-35B fighter jets.
According to the Defense Ministry data, the budget accumulated from FY 2012 to the FY 2025 budget proposal is 1,022.6 billion yen on a contract basis, and 332.7 billion yen has already been spent.
Tamura asked for the estimated total project cost.
Defense Minister Nakatani Gen admitted for the first time that the accumulated budget tops one trillion yen and also admitted to the 332.7 billion yen spent to date. He, however, did not provide the total project cost.
Tamura pointed to the possibility that the mooring facilities included in the construction plan may be used for Aegis-equipped vessels capable of launching Tomahawk cruise missiles to attack enemy bases on top of being equipped with an upgraded version of type 12 surface-to-ship guided missiles.
Nakatani responded, “The planned mooring facilities are designed to be used for large vessels such as supply ships and transport ships, but we have not yet made a detailed decision on Aegis-equipped vessels.”
Tamura said, “It is concerning that the government did not deny the possible use of the port by Aegis-equipped ships,” and once again demanded the cancellation of the base construction.
Past related articles:
> Rally held in protest against start of SDF base construction for FCLP relocation to Mageshima Island [January 12 & 13, 2023]
> Mageshima Island must not be turned into base for landing practice [June 18, 2011]
