Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) officially launched its new base, “Saga Garrison,” in Saga Prefecture on Wednesday. The base will deploy V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft to strengthen defense capabilities in the southwestern islands, in response to the security challenges posed by the military expansion of China and the escalating situation in the Taiwan Strait.
According to reports from Japanese media including Kyodo News, the first Osprey aircraft arrived at the Saga new base after being temporarily stationed in Kisarazu, Chiba Prefecture since July 2020. After five years, it has now moved to its permanent location. Saga Garrison has an establishment of approximately 420 personnel and serves as a permanent base for the GSDF Osprey unit.
The V-22 Osprey combines the vertical takeoff and landing capabilities of a helicopter with the high-speed cruising performance of a fixed-wing propeller aircraft. Its main mission is to support the GSDF’s “Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade” in rapid personnel and equipment transport. The brigade is often referred to as the “Japanese version of the Marine Corps,” with its headquarters located in nearby Sasebo City, Nagasaki Prefecture, specializing in island defense and emergency response.
Saga Prefecture and the Ministry of Defense have engaged in negotiations for years regarding the establishment of the base, reaching an agreement at the end of 2023. This move comes as the Japanese government strengthens its defense system in the southwestern islands, an area adjacent to Taiwan of significant strategic importance. China’s military expansion in the Taiwan Strait, East China Sea, and South China Sea has raised high levels of alert among Japan and neighboring countries.
On the same day, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba emphasized during a campaign event in Saga City for the upcoming Upper House elections that the deployment of the Osprey aircraft will not only significantly enhance defense efficiency but also strengthen disaster response capabilities, making Japan’s defense and rescue system more robust.
The Ministry of Defense plans to relocate the remaining 16 Osprey aircraft from Kisarazu to Saga by mid-August, utilizing the nearby Saga Airport runway for takeoff and landing. The airport is a major civil aviation facility in the area, located adjacent to the garrison.
However, concerns have been raised by residents about the safety record of the Osprey aircraft in the past. On the morning of the base’s opening, a group of people held a protest in front of the base gate, raising banners with the slogan “Remove Osprey aircraft completely” to express their opposition.
The U.S. military also deploys Osprey aircraft in Japan, but accidents have occurred multiple times. In November 2023, a U.S. military Osprey aircraft crashed during routine training near Yakushima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture, resulting in the deaths of eight crew members.
In response, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary of the Japanese government, Keiichiro Tachibana, held a press conference in Tokyo, stating that the government will “sincerely listen to local voices and provide detailed explanations, including safety information,” while emphasizing that strengthening defense in the southwest is an “urgent matter.”