New SDF base on island for U.S. fighter jet drills

NISHINOOMOTE, Japan, Jan. 13 Kyodo - Video taken from a drone on Jan. 10, 2026, shows Mage Island, located about 990 kilometers southwest of Tokyo in the East China Sea and part of the Kagoshima Prefecture city of Nishinoomote. Construction started in January 2023 for a Japan Self-Defense Forces base to be used as a site for U.S. fighter jet drills relocated from Iwoto Island in the Pacific.

New SDF base on island for U.S. fighter jet drills

New SDF base on island for U.S. fighter jet drills

Photo taken from a drone on Jan. 10, 2026, shows Mage Island, located about 990 kilometers southwest of Tokyo in the East China Sea and part of the Kagoshima Prefecture city of Nishinoomote. Construction started in January 2023 for a Japan Self-Defense Forces base to be used as a site for U.S. fighter jet drills relocated from Iwoto Island in the Pacific.

New SDF base on island for U.S. fighter jet drills

New SDF base on island for U.S. fighter jet drills

Photo taken from a drone on Jan. 10, 2026, shows Mage Island, located about 990 kilometers southwest of Tokyo in the East China Sea and part of the Kagoshima Prefecture city of Nishinoomote. Construction started in January 2023 for a Japan Self-Defense Forces base to be used as a site for U.S. fighter jet drills relocated from Iwoto Island in the Pacific.

New SDF base on island for U.S. fighter jet drills

New SDF base on island for U.S. fighter jet drills

Photo taken from a drone on Jan. 10, 2026, shows Mage Island, located about 990 kilometers southwest of Tokyo in the East China Sea and part of the Kagoshima Prefecture city of Nishinoomote. Construction started in January 2023 for a Japan Self-Defense Forces base to be used as a site for U.S. fighter jet drills relocated from Iwoto Island in the Pacific.

New SDF base on island for U.S. fighter jet drills

New SDF base on island for U.S. fighter jet drills

Photo taken from a drone on Jan. 10, 2026, shows Mage Island, located about 990 kilometers southwest of Tokyo in the East China Sea and part of the Kagoshima Prefecture city of Nishinoomote. Construction started in January 2023 for a Japan Self-Defense Forces base to be used as a site for U.S. fighter jet drills relocated from Iwoto Island in the Pacific.

New SDF base on island for U.S. fighter jet drills

New SDF base on island for U.S. fighter jet drills

Photo taken from a drone on Jan. 10, 2026, shows Mage Island, located about 990 kilometers southwest of Tokyo in the East China Sea and part of the Kagoshima Prefecture city of Nishinoomote. Construction started in January 2023 for a Japan Self-Defense Forces base to be used as a site for U.S. fighter jet drills relocated from Iwoto Island in the Pacific.

New SDF base on island for U.S. fighter jet drills

New SDF base on island for U.S. fighter jet drills

Photo taken from a drone on Jan. 10, 2026, shows Mage Island, located about 990 kilometers southwest of Tokyo in the East China Sea and part of the Kagoshima Prefecture city of Nishinoomote. Construction started in January 2023 for a Japan Self-Defense Forces base to be used as a site for U.S. fighter jet drills relocated from Iwoto Island in the Pacific. ==Kyodo

Protest against new SDF base for U.S. fighter jet drills

Protest against new SDF base for U.S. fighter jet drills

People protest against the construction of a Japan Self-Defense Forces base on Mage Island, located about 990 kilometers southwest of Tokyo in the East China Sea and part of the Kagoshima Prefecture city of Nishinoomote, on Jan. 10, 2026. Construction started in January 2023 for the base, to be used as a site for U.S. fighter jet drills relocated from Iwoto Island in the Pacific.

Protest against new SDF base for U.S. fighter jet drills

Protest against new SDF base for U.S. fighter jet drills

People protest against the construction of a Japan Self-Defense Forces base on Mage Island, located about 990 kilometers southwest of Tokyo in the East China Sea and part of the Kagoshima Prefecture city of Nishinoomote, on Jan. 10, 2026. Construction started in January 2023 for the base, to be used as a site for U.S. fighter jet drills relocated from Iwoto Island in the Pacific.

Japan begins construction of new SDF base for U.S. fighter drills

Japan started construction work Thursday for a Self-Defense Forces base on an uninhabited island in a southwestern prefecture, the Defense Ministry said, under a plan to relocate military drills using U.S. carrier-borne fighter jets. In the work expected to last four years on Mage Island in Kagoshima, the ministry will first build runways and ammunition storage facilities, according to an environmental assessment report made public earlier in the day. The project will pave the way for the relocation of the practice site for U.S. fighter jets from Iwoto Island in the Pacific, about 1,250 kilometers south of Tokyo, following the construction work on the 8 square km island.

Protest against new SDF base for U.S. fighter jet drills

Protest against new SDF base for U.S. fighter jet drills

Photo taken in the Kagoshima Prefecture city of Nishinoomote, southwestern Japan, on Jan. 12, 2023, shows people protesting against the construction of a Japan Self-Defense Forces base on an uninhabited island in the city. Construction work started the same day on Mage Island about 990 kilometers southwest of Tokyo in the East China Sea for the base, to be used as a site for U.S. fighter jet drills, relocated from Iwoto Island in the Pacific.

Protest against new SDF base for U.S. fighter jet drills

Protest against new SDF base for U.S. fighter jet drills

Photo taken in the Kagoshima Prefecture city of Nishinoomote, southwestern Japan, on Jan. 12, 2023, shows people protesting against the construction of a Japan Self-Defense Forces base on an uninhabited island in the city. Construction work started the same day on Mage Island about 990 kilometers southwest of Tokyo in the East China Sea for the base, to be used as a site for U.S. fighter jet drills, relocated from Iwoto Island in the Pacific.

Protest against new SDF base for U.S. fighter jet drills

Protest against new SDF base for U.S. fighter jet drills

Photo taken in the Kagoshima Prefecture city of Nishinoomote, southwestern Japan, on Jan. 12, 2023, shows people protesting against the construction of a Japan Self-Defense Forces base on an uninhabited island in the city. Construction work started the same day on Mage Island about 990 kilometers southwest of Tokyo in the East China Sea for the base, to be used as a site for U.S. fighter jet drills, relocated from Iwoto Island in the Pacific.

Protest against new SDF base for U.S. fighter jet drills

Protest against new SDF base for U.S. fighter jet drills

Photo taken in the Kagoshima Prefecture city of Nishinoomote, southwestern Japan, on Jan. 12, 2023, shows people protesting against the construction of a Japan Self-Defense Forces base on an uninhabited island in the city. Construction work started the same day on Mage Island about 990 kilometers southwest of Tokyo in the East China Sea for the base, to be used as a site for U.S. fighter jet drills, relocated from Iwoto Island in the Pacific.

Japan begins construction of new SDF base for U.S. fighter jet drills

Japan begins construction of new SDF base for U.S. fighter jet drills

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on Jan. 12, 2023, shows Mage Island in Nishinoomote, Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan. Construction work started the same day on the uninhabited island about 990 kilometers southwest of Tokyo in the East China Sea for a Japan Self-Defense Forces base, to be used as a site for U.S. fighter jet drills, relocated from Iwoto Island in the Pacific.

Japan begins construction of new SDF base for U.S. fighter jet drills

Japan begins construction of new SDF base for U.S. fighter jet drills

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on Jan. 12, 2023, shows Mage Island in Nishinoomote, Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan. Construction work started the same day on the uninhabited island about 990 kilometers southwest of Tokyo in the East China Sea for a Japan Self-Defense Forces base, to be used as a site for U.S. fighter jet drills, relocated from Iwoto Island in the Pacific.

Japan begins construction of new SDF base for U.S. fighter jet drills

Japan begins construction of new SDF base for U.S. fighter jet drills

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on Jan. 12, 2023, shows Mage Island in Nishinoomote, Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan. Construction work started the same day on the uninhabited island about 990 kilometers southwest of Tokyo in the East China Sea for a Japan Self-Defense Forces base, to be used as a site for U.S. fighter jet drills, relocated from Iwoto Island in the Pacific.

Japan begins construction of new SDF base for U.S. fighter jet drills

Japan begins construction of new SDF base for U.S. fighter jet drills

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on Jan. 12, 2023, shows Mage Island in Nishinoomote, Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan. Construction work started the same day on the uninhabited island about 990 kilometers southwest of Tokyo in the East China Sea for a Japan Self-Defense Forces base, to be used as a site for U.S. fighter jet drills, relocated from Iwoto Island in the Pacific.

Japan begins construction of new SDF base for U.S. fighter jet drills

Japan begins construction of new SDF base for U.S. fighter jet drills

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on Jan. 12, 2023, shows Mage Island in Nishinoomote, Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan. Construction work started the same day on the uninhabited island about 990 kilometers southwest of Tokyo in the East China Sea for a Japan Self-Defense Forces base, to be used as a site for U.S. fighter jet drills, relocated from Iwoto Island in the Pacific.