Japan is considering expansions to military airports and seaports in Okinawa Prefecture, the closest prefecture to Taiwan. Japanese government sources told Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper that the expansions will be carried out primarily in the Sakishima Islands. The islands are only 110 kilometers away from Taiwan at their closest point.
Upgrades would include extending airport runways which could accommodate Japan’s most advanced F-35 warplanes on three of its islands. The port on Yonaguni, the closest island to Taiwan, would also be deepened to accommodate ships from Japan’s self-defense force and coast guard. Other proposed upgrades include adding a taxiway to Naha Air Base on Okinawa Island. The proposed changes are part of the new National Security Strategy, which could be approved as early as this Friday.
The proposals come amid growing concerns about possible military conflict over Taiwan after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit in August. The Japanese government recently carried out evacuation drills for residents of Yonaguni Island, in the case of missile strikes on Japan in a Taiwan contingency.
The proposals are the latest in a series of Japanese government moves rooted in concerns about a possible Chinese attack on Taiwan.