The remote Japanese island of Yonaguni, located just 68 miles east of Taiwan, has become an unlikely hotspot in Asia’s geopolitical chessboard. Once known for hammerhead shark diving and wild horses, this 1,500-person community now hosts radar installations, missile units, and a growing contingent of Japanese Self-Defense Forces.
Residents like innkeeper Fumie Kano voice deepening unease:
We’re constantly told this place is dangerous now. It breaks my heart,she says. The island’s military expansion, accelerated since 2015, has split opinions. Supporters argue bases provide economic stability through:
- 210 troops and families comprising 20% of the population
- Expanded port and airport infrastructure
- Government subsidies for hosting defense units
Critics counter that dependence on military spending risks environmental damage and makes Yonaguni a target. Tensions escalated in 2022 when Chinese ballistic missiles landed 50 miles offshore during drills. Fisherfolk lost a week’s income, with association leader Shigenori Takenishi calling it an extremely dangerous preview of China’s capabilities.
Japan’s southwestern defense shift has deployed PAC-3 missile interceptors across Yonaguni and neighboring islands. Radar sites on Mount Inbi now monitor Chinese naval movements through key East China Sea lanes. Rear Adm. Takuhiro Hiragi confirms:
We watch their exercises near Taiwan and wherever necessary.
Evacuation plans reveal stark vulnerabilities – relocating 120,000 islanders would take six days. Mayor Kenichi Itokazu pushes for underground shelters despite environmental concerns, while opponents like Kano argue: If Okinawa becomes a battlefield, all Japan is at risk.
With China conducting frequent incursions – including a 2023 aircraft carrier passage between Yonaguni and Iriomote – the community balances economic survival against existential fears. As potter Kyoko Yamaguchi observes:
Everything’s justified as ‘Taiwan emergency prep.’ Many feel it’s gone too far.