The Japanese government recently revealed plans to build bomb shelters on the outer islands of Okinawa prefecture. This decision came as tensions rise between mainland China and Taiwan, South China Morning Post reported.
Design guidelines for bomb shelters to be completed next month, while evacuation proposals being drawn up
Masafumi Iida, a prominent China analyst in Tokyo, expressed Tokyo’s increasing worry. He emphasized that if conflict were to erupt, Japan would likely be drawn in.
According to the country’s national broadcaster NHK, design guidelines for these shelters will be finished by March’s end, with proposals then brought to local governments. It’s anticipated that existing public buildings like schools and town halls will serve as suitable locations, with their basement levels being considered ideal spots for the shelters.
In addition to constructing bomb shelters, plans are being developed for the evacuation of civilians residing on remote islands housing Japanese military facilities, which could potentially be targeted. These plans, as detailed in recent defense white papers, propose evacuating residents either by sea or air to the main Okinawa island and subsequently to southern Kyushu.
According to NHK, government officials have been looking at existing buildings on the islands. They’ve found sturdy concrete structures that could be adapted for shelter. These buildings would be reinforced with at least 30cm thick concrete walls to endure missile and bomb attacks. They would also have their power sources, communication systems, and storage for food and medicine.
Officials to modify existing buildings on outlying islands to provide shelter for residents with limited mobility
Tokyo worries that if there’s a sudden conflict involving Taiwan near Japanese islands like Yonaguni, which is just 111km away from Taiwan, there might not be enough time for evacuation. This means residents would need to stay put and seek shelter. The proposal aims for each person to have 2 square meters (21.5 square feet) of space and enough supplies to last for up to two weeks.
“The government’s priority is to try to evacuate people who are living on the most remote islands and finally to transport them to Kyushu,” Iida said. “But they are also planning to build shelters for those who are not able to move immediately,” he added. “Evacuating an island like Yonaguni would be very challenging, so a more realistic approach is needed.”
Certain analysts propose that if China aimed to invade Taiwan, it might need to target US military bases in Okinawa to eliminate the threat to the northern side of its invasion fleet. Iida noted that an attack on US bases would also be seen as an assault on Japan’s sovereign territory, necessitating a reaction.
