Urgent measures in view of the Taiwan crisis
Japan is studying concrete measures to strengthen the defense of the Nansei Islands, to the south-west of the archipelago; a dynamic that is part of the objective of updating the three strategic documents on national security, in the face of what is perceived as China’s expansion in the region and a possible contingency in Taiwan. This is the context for Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi’s first visit to Okinawa since his inauguration, inspecting military bases and Coast Guard facilities in Miyakojima and Ishigaki. In fact, Tokyo considers it a priority to strengthen the readiness of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) by guaranteeing the orderly evacuation of civilians in the event of a crisis.
“Protecting the lives and peaceful livelihoods of citizens requires stronger defense capabilities, and the support of the local community is crucial,” Koizumi said while meeting Miyakojima Mayor Noboru Kakazu. The Nansei Islands, including Miyakojima, would in fact be on the front line in a conflict scenario in the area, and in the 2022 revision of the National Security Strategy, Japan has committed to guaranteeing suitable structures for evacuation. In March, the government had already outlined a plan to relocate the inhabitants of the Sakishima islands (Okinawa) to seven prefectures of Kyushu and Yamaguchi.
Airports such as Naha and the port of Ishigaki have been designated as operational hubs that can be used by the SDF and Coast Guard even in peacetime. In the new agreements for the revision of strategic documents, it will be discussed to lengthen airport runways, expand port docks and create “emergency evacuation facilities” where civilians can find temporary refuge. The initiative signals an acceleration in Japan’s defensive posture, also in light of the diplomatic crisis of recent weeks with Beijing, with the Land of the Rising Sun trying to integrate the military deterrence supported by its ally in Washington – which considers China’s expansionism a threat to its hegemony in the Asia-Pacific. As part of the current defense strategy, Tokyo is ready to spend around 10,000 billion yen (61.6 billion euros) per year, making it the third country in the world for military spending, right after the United States and China.
