On April 6th, a ceremony was held at Kure Base to mark the launch of a new maritime transport group by the Self-Defense Forces. This group is designed to bolster the defense of the Nansei chain of islands, which extends southwest of Kyushu. The unit is composed of members from all three branches of the SDF.

The primary objective of this new unit is to counter China's growing maritime presence in the East China Sea and the increasing military pressure on Taiwan. The maritime transport group will be responsible for transporting SDF personnel and weaponry to the Nansei chain from bases located on the main island of Honshu. The group was officially established on March 24th, the same day the Joint Operations Command was created in Tokyo to unify command over all three SDF branches.

The maritime transport group will report directly to the Defense Minister. Initially, the group's command will be based at the MSDF Kure Base, with an additional command center at an MSDF base in Hyogo Prefecture. The unit currently consists of approximately 100 members and will operate one midsize and one small transport ship. Plans are in place to expand the fleet to 10 ships by the fiscal year 2027.

The Defense Ministry and the SDF have been focusing on the Nansei chain, including the islands of Okinawa Prefecture, to address China's activities. A significant logistical challenge has been the transportation of personnel and equipment to these remote locations. A Defense Ministry source indicated that in the event of a military escalation in Taiwan, approximately 20 round trips would be required between the Japanese mainland and the outlying islands in real-time. However, current capabilities would require several months to complete such a task.

Col. Kosei Baba of the GSDF will lead the maritime transport group. The majority of the unit's members will come from the GSDF, and the group will primarily transport GSDF personnel and equipment. One of the goals is to address the MSDF's ongoing personnel shortages. Concerns exist regarding the operational capabilities of the group, as GSDF members are not accustomed to operating ships.

The Kure city government is also hopeful that the SDF will further develop an area previously used by Nippon Steel Corp. as a plant site. In March 2024, the Defense Ministry revealed plans to establish a multifunctional defense base on the site and intends to acquire approximately 130 hectares of land from Nippon Steel.