Japan plans to deploy surface-to-air missiles on Yonaguni Island, its westernmost territory situated close to Taiwan, within the next five years. Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced that the missiles, capable of intercepting aircraft and ballistic threats, are expected to be operational by March 2031. This move comes at a time of heightened diplomatic tensions with China, especially following controversial remarks made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding Taiwan’s security.
Takaichi stated that a potential Chinese attack on Taiwan could lead to Japan’s Self-Defense Forces (SDF) being involved if the situation posed a direct threat to Japanese sovereignty. Her comments, which she has stood by despite Chinese opposition, have led Beijing to advise its citizens against traveling to Japan and to impose restrictions on exporting certain technologies to Japanese firms linked to military advancements.
Amid these geopolitical frictions, China maintains that Taiwan, a self-governing democracy, is a part of its territory and has not dismissed the use of force in what it describes as a mission of reunification. Japan, on its part, has been intensifying its focus on bolstering defenses in its western islands, redirecting its security considerations from northern threats posed by Russia to addressing Chinese military actions in the East China Sea.
Yonaguni Island, located approximately 100 kilometers from Taiwan, currently hosts an SDF facility and has a resident population that is increasingly anxious about the island’s transformation into a military stronghold. Koizumi plans to meet with the island’s approximately 1,500 residents next week to explain the missile deployment plan. Historically, in 2015, local residents expressed support for the SDF base with a vote in favor of 632 to 445.
Nevertheless, concerns persist among locals about the implications of militarization on their daily lives in a region known for its natural beauty, including its unique wildlife and pristine environment. The SDF base, which became operational in 2016, has also been set to host an electronic warfare air-defence unit in the upcoming fiscal year, further emphasizing the shift in Japan’s defense strategy.
In addition, tensions with China are further complicated by ongoing disputes over the Senkaku Islands, an area where Chinese ships have reportedly intruded into Japanese waters. These uninhabited islets, administered by Japan and referred to as Diaoyu in China, remain a contentious point in Tokyo-Beijing relations, illustrating the complexity and volatility of the security landscape in East Asia.
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