Japan’s Okinawa Island, located just 110 kilometers from Taiwan, has been facing the threat of a potential Chinese attack on Taiwan. Over the past decade, the Japanese government has been steadily increasing the deployment of Self-Defense Forces on Okinawa Island, with the functions of the troops stationed there surpassing the initial monitoring mission.
According to a report by the Nikkei Asian Review on Thursday, the Japanese Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces have been gradually transferring troops to Okinawa over the past ten years to strengthen surveillance and enhance deterrence. Last Saturday marked the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Self-Defense Forces base in Yaeyama Island, Okinawa Prefecture.
Compared to the capital city of Naha in Okinawa, Yaeyama Island is even closer to Taipei, acting as a frontline position. When the Self-Defense Forces base in Yaeyama Island was first set up in 2016, it only housed a Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) coastal surveillance unit. In 2022, an Air Self-Defense Force radar squadron was stationed there. In 2024, GSDF electronic warfare personnel were deployed.
Next month, Japan’s first air defense electronic warfare unit will be stationed on this small island, and in the fiscal year 2030, the Type 03 medium-range surface-to-air missile operation unit is planned to be stationed to further strengthen Japan’s border air defense network.
Residents in their 70s on the island told the Nikkei newspaper that the island has undergone tremendous changes. Before the establishment of the base, there were initial divisions among the island residents, but significant changes have occurred in recent years. In 2015, 632 residents voted in favor, with 445 opposing, and now the support rate has reached 90%.
Prior to the establishment of the base, the town’s population dropped to below 1,500 at one point but has now recovered to around 1,700. Over 200 Self-Defense Forces personnel are stationed on Yaeyama Island, with their families working in the town and their children attending local schools.
With the increasingly severe threat of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, the functions of the island base have exceeded the initial expectations of residents. While the Japanese Ministry of Defense initially stated that the troops were only responsible for coastal surveillance, this month, the ministry stated that the security situation is increasingly severe beyond expectations, hoping that residents can understand the missile unit deployment plan.
Some residents indicate that under specific conditions, such as receiving financial support, they do not oppose the base expansion plan but are unsure of the extent of the expansion. Many are concerned that increasing counterattack capabilities or establishing a US military base could make Yaeyama Island more vulnerable to attacks in conflicts.
As tensions escalate in the Taiwan Strait, Chinese military activities in the waters near Yaeyama Island are becoming more frequent. In August 2022, a Chinese military exercise missile landed 80 kilometers off the coast of the small island. In September 2024, a Chinese warship crossed between Yaeyama Island and Iriomote Island for the first time. In November last year, the day after Defense Minister Koizumi toured the troops stationed in Yaeyama Island, a suspected Chinese drone aircraft flew between Taiwan and Yaeyama Island.
At the recent US-Japan summit, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takichi and US President Trump both expressed their commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, emphasizing that the peaceful stability of the Taiwan Strait is an indispensable element for regional security and global prosperity.