Japan is set to expand its military presence on the Yonaguni island near Taiwan, as China increases its military activity in the region, the SCMP reported on Monday.
STRATEGIC LOCATION
Yonaguni is a remote outpost that is part of Japan’s southern Okinawa prefecture. It is located 110 kilometres away from the self-governing island of Taiwan, which China claims to be part of its own territory.
Further, it lies in close proximity to the Tokyo-governed Senkaku group of islands, which Beijing also claims to be part of its own territory, and recognises as the Diaoyu Islands.
Analysts fear that the island’s proximity to Taiwan would inadvertently place it in the line of fire in case China launches an invasion of Taiwan.
TRIGGER FOR EXPANSION
In August, China carried out a large-scale military drill near Taiwan in retaliation to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei.
Six of its missiles fell off the island’s shores, in Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), shocking residents and alarming Tokyo.
Subsequently, Japan lodged many protests against China, which were ignored by the latter. It had previously asserted that there was no EEZ in the waters where its missiles had landed, as the two nations had not agreed on the limits.
CURRENT MEASURES
A base for the Japanese Self-Defence Forces (SDF) is currently being expanded on Yonaguni.
A surface-to-air missile unit will also be deployed to the island.
The additional infrastructure would also make it easier for the US to respond in the event of a crisis.
reinforcement of the Japan-U.S. Alliance and the realization of a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific, grounded in Japan's new National Security Strategy. (2/2) (Jan. 8)
— PM's Office of Japan (@JPN_PMO) January 8, 2023
Meanwhile, in September, the island’s local government set up a fund that aims to cover the costs of emergency equipment and support facilities for residents in case of a possible attack. It has also requested Tokyo to provide emergency shelters.
In November, locals participated in the first drill simulating a ballistic missile attack.
INVOLVEMENT OF THE US
According to the Yomiuri newspaper, the US has already briefed Japan about its plans to expand its military presence throughout Japan’s Okinawa islands by 2026, the year China is predicted to use force to reunify with Taiwan.
It is expected to make the announcement after the two-plus-two meeting between their respective defence and foreign ministers in Washington on Wednesday.
While the Japanese defence ministry declined to comment on the report, an official told Reuters that Tokyo and Washington “will discuss matters regarding issues on the US Forces Japan, including the realignment of the US Forces Japan.”
OTHER COUNTERMEASURES
Owing to friction with China, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida ordered his cabinet to increase the country’s defence spending to 2% of the GDP in the next five years, up from its longstanding current level of around 1%.
Taiwan has welcomed the move.
Japan is also considering deploying more than 1,000 long-range cruise missiles from Kyushu to the Nansei island chain as a means to narrow the “cavernous missile gap” with China.