Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) on Monday held a ceremony to launch a new training unit at a camp in Nagasaki Prefecture, southwestern Japan.

The amphibious brigade will use AAV-7 vehicles that can transport GSDF personnel and equipment on water and deploy them on land, where it can be used as a regular vehicle, GSDF officials said.

Preparations for this new unit at the GSDF's Camp Ainoura in Sasebo, Nagasaki, have been in place since 2015.

Japan's defense ministry had been seeking 74.6 billion yen (676 million U.S. dollars) in government spending to bolster forces on some of Japan's southern islands, with some of this funds earmarked to set up this new amphibious unit in Nagasaki.

Japan's amphibious brigade will will be launched at the end of the next fiscal year, GSDF officials said.

source: Xinhua