米軍無人機、鹿屋に配備検討　中国の監視強化

　日米両政府が米軍の無人偵察機「ＭＱ９」を海上自衛隊鹿屋航空基地（鹿児島県鹿屋市）に一時展開させる検討をしていることが分かった。南西諸島などで軍事活動を活発化させる中国の監視強化が目的。防衛省九州防衛局の幹部が２７日、鹿屋市を訪れ、計画について説明した。
　自衛隊基地に米軍の無人機が配備されれば初めて。九州防衛局の遠藤敦志企画部長は市への説明後、記者団に「（鹿屋基地は）中国の活動が活発化している南西の領域にアクセスしやすい」と指摘。展開期間や機数、機体の整備・運用に当たる米兵の規模などは未定とした。今後、日米で現地調査を行いたい考えという。（2022/01/27-19:59）

The Japanese and U.S. governments are considering deploying temporarily the U.S. military's MQ-9 unmanned reconnaissance aircraft to a Maritime Self-Defense Force base in Kanoya in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, it was learned Thursday.
   The envisaged deployment is designed to strengthen surveillance of China, which is stepping up its military activities mainly around the Nansei island chain in southwestern Japan, sources familiar with the matter said.
   Senior officials of the Japanese Defense Ministry's Kyushu Defense Bureau visited Kanoya on Thursday and explained the plan to city government officials.
   If the plan is realized, it will be the first deployment of U.S. military unmanned aircraft to an SDF base.
   After explaining the plan to the city, Atsushi Endo, head of the planning department of the defense bureau, told reporters that the MSDF's Kanoya base has easy access to the Nansei area, where China is beefing up its activities.