米無人機、鹿屋から嘉手納へ　来月にも、南西地域監視

　日米両政府が海上自衛隊鹿屋航空基地（鹿児島県鹿屋市）に一時配備した米軍の無人偵察機「ＭＱ９」を、１１月にも米軍嘉手納基地（沖縄県嘉手納町など）に移駐させる方向で調整していることが分かった。中国軍艦艇の進出が進む南西地域で監視強化を図るのが狙い。関係者が５日、明らかにした。
　ＭＱ９は昨年１１月から１年間の計画で、８機が鹿屋基地に配備された。運用部隊は２００人規模。８月にはこのうち１機が着陸時に滑走路を逸脱する事故を起こして運用を停止し、防衛省によると、５日に飛行を再開した。沖縄側で「基地負担増」として反発が出そうだ。（2023/10/05-20:39）

The Japanese and U.S. governments are considering relocating the U.S. military's MQ-9 Reaper reconnaissance drones, deployed temporarily in Kagoshima Prefecture, to Okinawa Prefecture, informed sources said Thursday.
   The unmanned aerial vehicles are expected to be transferred from a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force air base in Kanoya, Kagoshima, to the U.S. Kadena Air Base in Okinawa as early as November.
   The move is part of efforts to strengthen surveillance around the Nansei island chain made up of Kagoshima and Okinawa islets in southwestern Japan, where Chinese military vessels are boosting their activities.
   Eight Reapers are stationed at the Kanoya base for a one-year deployment from November last year. Their operating unit has some 200 personnel.
   One of the eight deviated from the runway during landing in August this year, resulting in a halt to MQ-9 operations. The flight operations were resumed Thursday, according to the Japanese Defense Ministry.