TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Japan is preparing for the threat of a Taiwan contingency by constructing bunkers across the Miyako Islands, the closest Japanese territories to Taiwan.
Japan will build several bunkers stocked with supplies to last up to two weeks in the event of a potential evacuation campaign triggered by a Chinese attack on Taiwan, Nikkei reported. Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro visited Miyako and Ishigaki on Saturday to discuss bolstering regional defense with local leaders.
Japan began shoring up military bases and port infrastructure in the Miyako Island chain under former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in 2023. Their geographic proximity will make the islands a critical base for evacuating Japanese citizens and as a supply line for Taiwan in the event of a Chinese blockade.
Nikkei reports that a city sports center complex in Miyakojima is being constructed with an underground parking garage that can double as an evacuation bunker for up to 500 people. The construction project is expected to be completed in 2027 or 2028.
On Yonaguni Island, located less than 120 kilometers from the coast of Yilan, there are plans for an underground bunker beneath the town hall. The structure will be designed to accommodate around 200 people.
In addition to bunkers for civilians, the region is also upgrading port facilities throughout the area. The Japanese and US militaries have also conducted exercises on Ishigaki, Miyako, and Yonaguni in recent years that involved Patriot missile emplacements and advanced radar systems.
