陸自の「電子戦部隊」約70人、沖縄・与那国島に配備へ 台湾・尖閣にらむ 島の「要塞化」に懸念も（沖縄タイムス） - Yahoo!ニュース
Japan's Self-Defense Force to Deploy 70 Electronic Warfare Troops to Okinawa's Yonaguni Island, Raising Concerns about Taiwan's Senkaku Islands Becoming a Fortress
Nov. 8 (Mon) 7:02
Okinawa Times
The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's Yonaguni Garrison in Yonaguni Town on June 18, 2019 (photo taken with a small unmanned aircraft)
On June 7, it was learned that the Defense Ministry is considering deploying an additional "electronic warfare unit" and other units to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's Yonaguni Garrison in Yonaguni Town, Okinawa Prefecture, with an estimated 70 personnel. In addition, the Air Self-Defense Force's mobile alert team will be deployed as a detachment of 20 personnel on Miyako Island in fiscal 2022. The number of SDF personnel stationed in the town will increase by 90 from the current 160 to 250, accounting for about 15 percent of the town's population of 1,700. (Sunao Sunagawa, Social Affairs Department; Kentaro Kala, Tokyo Press Club)
What is the SDF's new "electronic warfare unit"?
<Self-Defense Force personnel to double to 15% of island population>
The deployment of an electronic warfare unit and other units in Yonaguni is aimed at strengthening intelligence-gathering capabilities in view of the growing tensions in the Taiwan Strait and the Senkakus. The deployment is expected to be completed by fiscal 2023.
In its fiscal 2022 budget request, the Ministry of Defense earmarked about 3.1 billion yen for the construction of facilities such as a military building and dormitories for the deployment of the electronic warfare unit in Yonaguni. According to town officials, a new site for quarters is planned in the town of Sonai.
The Electronic Warfare Unit, equipped with the Network Electronic Warfare System (NEWS), is equipped with a vehicle-mounted network electronic warfare system that collects and analyzes radio waves and jams enemy communications. While China and Russia are improving their capabilities in the field of electronic warfare, we will enhance our defense posture in the southwest region by strengthening our response to the new field of electromagnetic waves, which ranks alongside space and cyber.
In addition, according to defense ministry officials, the Air Self-Defense Force's mobile alert team, which has been deployed irregularly since its inauguration at the Yonaguni garrison in March 2016, will switch to a permanent presence. The squadron operates the Air Self-Defense Force's TPS-102 three-dimensional radar system to collect information. The information is said to be collected in Naha.
<Residents say "the island will become a fortress" and "expect economic benefits>
There are currently about 160 Self-Defense Force personnel stationed at the Yonaguni Garrison's coastal surveillance unit.
Some local residents have expressed their understanding of the increase in the number of Self-Defense Forces, while others are concerned that the island will become a fortress.
In response to these concerns, a senior official of the town said, "We are ready to cooperate with the additional deployment of the Self-Defense Forces," and added, "If the number of Self-Defense Forces increases, the population will further increase. We can expect economic benefits for the town.
Undersea communication cable was launched in 2017.
