March 10, 2026
The Defense Ministry, on the night of March 8-9, went ahead with the delivery of components for the “advanced Type 12 surface-to-ship guided missile” system to the Ground Self-Defense Force Kengun Camp in Kumamoto City, which constitutes a de fact long-range missile deployment. The range of these missiles reportedly exceeds 1,000 kilometers.
While the ministry claimed that it will let the relevant local authorities know beforehand, both the Kumamoto governor and the Kumamoto City mayor said that they received no prior information and only heard of the delivery on the news.
Getting wind of the ministry’s move to carry out the missile deployment on the day, concerned citizens assembled in front of the GSDF base’s main gate. Holding placards that read, “No to the long-range missile deployment!”, 150 people staged a protest against the unannounced delivery of missile components.
A protester living in Oita Prefecture, which neighbors Kumamoto, said, “I came here because I’m worried about the plan to deploy long-range missiles to an SDF ammunition depot in Oita City.” Among the protesters were JCP members and local assemblypersons. They expressed their determination to play a part in forming a joint struggle against the missile deployment irrespective of political affiliation.
On this day, JCP members of the House of Councillors Nihi Sohei, Yamazoe Taku, and Shirakawa Yoko in the Diet building lodged with the Defense Ministry a protest against the delivery and demanded that the ministry withdraw its plan to deploy long-range missiles to the GSDF Kengun Camp and hold a meeting to explain the situation to local residents
In addition, JCP Secretariat Head Koike Akira later on the day submitted to the ministry a letter of protest calling for the deployment plan to be retracted. The submission was conducted jointly with Social Democratic Party head Fukushima Mizuho, SDP Upper House member LaSalle Ishii, and “Okinawa Whirlwind” Upper House member Takara Sachika.
> 1,200-strong human chain in Kumamoto: We don’t want long-range missiles! [February 25 ,2026]
While the ministry claimed that it will let the relevant local authorities know beforehand, both the Kumamoto governor and the Kumamoto City mayor said that they received no prior information and only heard of the delivery on the news.
Getting wind of the ministry’s move to carry out the missile deployment on the day, concerned citizens assembled in front of the GSDF base’s main gate. Holding placards that read, “No to the long-range missile deployment!”, 150 people staged a protest against the unannounced delivery of missile components.
A protester living in Oita Prefecture, which neighbors Kumamoto, said, “I came here because I’m worried about the plan to deploy long-range missiles to an SDF ammunition depot in Oita City.” Among the protesters were JCP members and local assemblypersons. They expressed their determination to play a part in forming a joint struggle against the missile deployment irrespective of political affiliation.
On this day, JCP members of the House of Councillors Nihi Sohei, Yamazoe Taku, and Shirakawa Yoko in the Diet building lodged with the Defense Ministry a protest against the delivery and demanded that the ministry withdraw its plan to deploy long-range missiles to the GSDF Kengun Camp and hold a meeting to explain the situation to local residents
In addition, JCP Secretariat Head Koike Akira later on the day submitted to the ministry a letter of protest calling for the deployment plan to be retracted. The submission was conducted jointly with Social Democratic Party head Fukushima Mizuho, SDP Upper House member LaSalle Ishii, and “Okinawa Whirlwind” Upper House member Takara Sachika.
> 1,200-strong human chain in Kumamoto: We don’t want long-range missiles! [February 25 ,2026]
