Japan's Ministry of Defense on Monday began transporting a missile launcher and other equipment to Minamitorishima, the country's easternmost island in the Pacific, ahead of plans to build a missile firing range and conduct live-fire exercises there, local media reported.

According to public broadcaster NHK, the ministry began shipping a Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) Type 12 surface-to-ship missile launcher, along with medium-sized unmanned reconnaissance aircraft for target surveillance and positioning, by ferry from a port in Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo, to the island on Monday morning.

Local media reported that this will mark Japan's first deployment of GSDF surface-to-ship missiles to Minamitorishima, which belongs to Tokyo's Ogasawara Islands.

The move has drawn widespread concern and criticism, with observers warning it could heighten regional tensions.

According to earlier local media reports, Japan plans to build a firing range on the island for weapons, including the Type 12 surface-to-ship missile, with live-fire training exercises slated to begin in 2027.