空自レーダー配備受け入れ　沖縄・北大東村長が表明

　沖縄県北大東村の鬼塚三典村長は２２日、防衛省の三宅伸吾政務官と同村で会談し、航空自衛隊の移動式警戒管制レーダー配備計画を受け入れると表明した。沖縄本島の東側約３６０キロに位置する同村への配備は、太平洋への進出を強める中国軍の警戒監視が目的。隊員３０人程度が常駐する計画で、同省は来年度に着工する。
　三宅氏は「太平洋側の警戒監視体制の強化がわが国の国防上、喫緊の課題となっている」と説明。鬼塚氏は「防衛上の意義も踏まえ、村として配備を受け入れたい」と応じ、村民への丁寧な情報提供などを求めた。
　会談後、三宅氏は記者団の取材に応じ、将来的な基地の機能強化の可能性を問われ、「現時点でそのような計画は一切ない」と強調。その上で「状況は変わる可能性がある」とも語った。（2024/07/22-19:13）

The village of Kitadaito, Okinawa Prefecture, southernmost Japan, will accept the planned deployment of a mobile radar of the Air Self-Defense Force, its mayor, Mitsunori Onizuka, said Monday.
   Onizuka announced the decision at a meeting with Parliamentary Vice Minister of Defense Shingo Miyake in the village on an island about 360 kilometers east of Okinawa's main island.
   The radar will monitor the Chinese military's growing activities in the Pacific. About 30 ASDF members will be stationed on the island. Construction will begin in fiscal 2025.
   At the meeting, Miyake said, "Strengthening surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities on the Pacific side is becoming a pressing issue for the security of our country." Onizuka responded, "The village would like to accept the deployment, in view of its significance for defense." The mayor asked for full information sharing.
   Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Miyake denied that the government currently has any plans to implement stronger base functions on the island in the future, but added, "The situation could change."