US to deploy large reconnaissance drones in Okinawa
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WASHINGTON – US forces will deploy large reconnaissance drones in southern Japanese prefecture Okinawa for an indefinite period to enhance surveillance and information gathering, the Japanese Defence Ministry said on April 8.
The move has triggered local objection.
MQ-4C Triton aircraft are expected to begin operating out of Kadena Air Base “within a few weeks”, Defence Minister Gen Nakatani said at a press conference in Tokyo.
The Triton is a long-endurance unmanned aircraft with a wingspan of around 40m designed to fly at higher altitudes and cover wider areas than the smaller MQ-9 Reaper drones that have been stationed at the air base since 2023.
In 2024, the US military tentatively deployed two Tritons at the Kadena base for about five months from May. Okinawa is part of a chain of islands stretching south-west from Kyushu towards Taiwan, facing the East China Sea where Chinese military activity has been increasing.
After it was informed of the deployment by the Defence Ministry, the Okinawa prefectural government expressed opposition to the plan as it could increase the base-hosting burden on local communities. The prefecture hosts the bulk of US military installations in Japan.
“We strongly demand that the deployment plan be reconsidered and that our burden be reduced in a visible manner,” Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki said. KYODO NEWS
