The Japanese Ministry of Defense plans to build a new training ground for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) in the central area of Okinawa’s main island, drawing strong opposition from local residents. Should the central government forcibly execute the plan, this could be yet another tinder box in pacificist Okinawa, the nation’s politically and … Read more
This satellite image shows Typhoon Khanun in the East China Sea, northeast of Taiwan, on Aug. 2, 2023. Credit: NOAA Advertisement The typhoon that damaged homes and knocked out power on Okinawa and other southern Japanese islands this week was slowly moving west Thursday but is forecast to make a U-turn and dump even more … Read more
Tokyo Report | Security | East Asia As tensions around Taiwan increase, remote Okinawan islands look to prepare for a possible conflict by investing in evacuation shelters and other defensive infrastructure. Advertisement The Japanese government had been discussing since at least last September – before the slew of new defense policy documents were released in December – about constructing … Read more
Flashpoints A potential new trigger in China-Japan relations emerges. Advertisement A possibly more aggressive policy towards Okinawa by China has been attracting attention in East Asia recently. The perception stems from an express reference made by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Japan’s southernmost islands, known as the Ryukyu, in early June during a visit to … Read more