Japan announces emergency evacuation plan for island near Taiwan

Japan has announced a plan to evacuate about 120,000 people from southern islands near Taiwan in the event of an emergency.

Kyodo News reported on March 27 that the Japanese government has announced plans to evacuate residents from islands near Taiwan in case of emergency.

Accordingly, ships and planes will transport about 110,000 residents and 10,000 tourists from the Sakishima Islands in Okinawa Prefecture to eight provinces in southwestern and western Japan within six days as planned.

Japan's Self-Defense Forces conduct an evacuation drill on the westernmost island of Yonaguni in Okinawa Prefecture in 2023.

With concerns over tensions in the neighboring region, the Japanese government said it will conduct evacuation drills from Okinawa Prefecture in fiscal 2026, starting next April.

Evacuees are expected to be transferred to certain airports and ports on Japan's Kyushu island, northeast of Okinawa prefecture, by ferry or private plane before continuing to other evacuation points.

The Japanese government said the plan was not aimed at any specific situation, but all of the country's islands that could be evacuated are located near Taiwan, with Yonaguni Island only about 100 kilometers away.

China considers Taiwan an inalienable part of its territory and has left open the possibility of using force to reunify. The United States maintains a policy of strategic ambiguity toward Taiwan and, although it has no formal ties, Washington is bound by law to provide Taipei with the ability to defend itself.

According to Kyodo News, Taiwan is considered a military flashpoint that could drag the US into conflict with China, posing serious security challenges to Japan, an important US ally in Asia.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa said on March 27 that the evacuation plan was designed to promote discussion on evacuating residents "under the assumption of a possible situation where an armed attack is predicted."

Mr Hayashi said the effectiveness of preparations for a large-scale evacuation had been "improved", as the plan specified how to transport evacuees, secure accommodation and provide meals.

Under long-term policy guidelines in Japan's National Security Strategy updated in 2022, the Japanese government pledged to develop a plan to "timely evacuate residents, including those in the southwestern region, in the event of an armed attack."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nhat-ban-cong-bo-ke-hoach-so-tan-khan-dan-dao-gan-dai-loan-185250327182244908.htm