WASHINGTON - The United States has suggested deploying medium-range missiles in Japan as part of a plan for a military buildup against China along the East and South China Seas, according to a report.
Japan's Sankei newspaper reported this on Saturday citing unnamed officials involved with US-Japan relations.
The report said the deployment to American forces in Japan may include long-range hypersonic weapons and Tomahawks, according to Reuters.
The newspaper report added that Japan is ready to start serious negotiations toward approving the deployment.
The Sankei said Japan was considering the southern island of Kyushu as a possible location.
Japan and the United States want to reinforce islands separating the East China Sea from the Western Pacific because they are close to Taiwan and establish the "First Island Chain" extending down to Indonesia that hems in China's forces, according to Reuters.
US administrations have said they would take Japan's side in its territorial dispute with China over the disputed Diaoyus islands (known as Senkaku Islands in Japan).
China says the islands have been part of its territory since ancient times. Beijing has also called on the US "to take a responsible attitude, stop making wrong remarks... and avoid making the issue more complicated and bringing instability to the regional situation."
China is also involved in a dispute with the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Vietnam over territory in the South China Sea.
There are 61,000 US soldiers deployed in Japan and 28,000 in neighboring South Korea.
The United States has made China the centerpiece of its national security policy and increased the tempos of drills with allies in the region.
China has blasted the US passing of a defense authorization law that boosts military assistance for Taiwan in defiance of Beijing's territorial claims over the self-ruled island.
In a statement in December, the Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed "strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition" towards the US National Defense Authorization Act, which was signed into law by US President Joe Biden the day before.
The statement said the $858 billion military spending measure, which authorizes up to $10 billion in security assistance and fast-tracked weapons procurement for Taipei, contained provisions that "cause serious damage to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."
