ISTANBUL

The US forces plan to deploy large reconnaissance drones in the southern Japanese Island to boost intelligence and surveillance, Japan's Defense Minister said on Tuesday.

According to Gen Nakatani the MQ-4C Triton aircraft are expected to begin operating out of Kadena Air Base "within a few weeks" and their deployment period will be indefinite, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.

The deployment of MQ-4C, a long-endurance unmanned aircraft, in Okinawa and other southern islands apparently aimed to monitor Chinese military activities in the region.

Last year, the US forces also deployed two MQ-4Cs at the base for about five months from May.

Last month, Japanese media reported that Tokyo plan to deploy long-range missiles on southwestern island of Kyushu to hit enemy target in case of emergency.

Notably, it emerged this weekend that the US and Japanese forces last year held "Keen Edge," exercises simulating a response scenario to Chinese military takeover of Taiwan. This was the first time that a Japan-US joint exercise had fully simulated a Taiwan emergency, according to a local media outlet The Sankei Shimbun.

Separately, Japan, on its foreign policy report for 2025, released on Tuesday said that Beijing and Moscow’s military relations are "increasing in frequency."

Tokyo also expressed concern about the growing military connections between Moscow and Pyongyang in the 2025 Diplomatic Bluebook, while highlighting its desire to establishing a stronger relationship of trust with the US.

The report also stated the international community is experiencing division and conflict more due to mounting conflicts in the Middle East.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid