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Japan Opens Camp Saga and Welcomes First V-22 Osprey on Kyushu

The deployment is intended to deter Chinese military pressure by enabling rapid island defense operations alongside U.S. forces.

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Overview

  • The GSDF officially opened Camp Saga on July 9 in Kyushu to serve as a permanent base for its V-22 Osprey fleet, ending the provisional arrangement at Camp Kisarazu since 2020.
  • The first of 17 Ospreys arrived Wednesday, and the remaining aircraft are scheduled to relocate in phased transfers by mid-August.
  • Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said the tilt-rotor fleet will be integrated with the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade and U.S. forces to enhance rapid response capabilities for remote southwestern islands.
  • Camp Saga’s location on Kyushu enables swift deployments across the Nansei island chain and reinforces deterrence against rising Chinese activity near Taiwan.
  • Safety reviews continue following a series of Osprey accidents, including a 2023 U.S. Air Force crash off Yakushima and a 2024 Japanese army incident attributed to human error.