On Miyako Island, Miruku-potoke (the local name for the Maitreya Buddha) is traditionally believed to be an ugly god who arrives from China to create humans, animals, and crops.[6] Miyako is home to a unique festival called Paantu (パーントゥ), which occurs in the ninth month of the cultural (lunar) calendar.[3][7][8] A large tourism boom in Miyako, starting with locals and Taiwanese visitors in the early 2010s, has been steadily growing with the annual number of tourists reaching over 1 million in both 2018 and 2019.[10] The effects of this growing tourist industry may change the character of the island as its population is small and rural.[11] In late April 2015, it was confirmed that the Japanese Ministry of Defense was in advanced planning regarding the permanent deployment of a GSDF security unit to Miyako Island, to begin sometime in fiscal year 2016.[12][13] The Miyako Island security unit's exact composition is unclear as of April 2015, though given its known taskings, it is likely that the TOE will include both the Komatsu LAV and soft skinned vehicles with all terrain capability.[citation needed] Consideration is also currently being given to deploying GSDF units equipped with anti-aircraft and anti-ship missiles to the island.