Japan Sending 100 Troops to East China Sea

Japan increases defense activity in East China Sea.

Japan will deploy 100 troops to Yonaguni, its furthest Western island in the East China Sea, amidst increased Chinese naval activity in the region. Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa stressed the importance of increased defense activity on the islands in the East China Sea, during a security committee meeting on Thursday, Japanese news agency The Mainichi Daily News reported. The troops being sent are from Japan’s ground self-defense force (GSDF), and will be sent to the island located in the Okinawa Prefecture. In response to increased Chinese naval activity, the GSDF troops may be deployed to other islands in the area, and will serve as a buffer between Japan and its neighbors. In September, a Chinese fishing vessel collided with two Japanese Coast Guard ships in the East China Sea, which led to increased political tension between China and Japan over the disputed waters.