Wednesday, 25 February 2026

South Asian Update
South Asian Update

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Japan to deploy missiles on island near Taiwan by 2031

 Published: 11:16, 25 February 2026

Japan to deploy missiles on island near Taiwan by 2031

Japan plans to deploy surface-to-air missiles to its remote western island near Taiwan by March 2031, its defence minister said, as regional tensions simmer.

It is the first time that Japan specified a timeline for the missile deployment to Yonaguni island since it was announced in 2022. China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own and has not ruled out the use of force to "reunify" with it. Yonaguni is visible from Taiwan's shores on a clear day, located just 110km (68 miles) away.

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