TOKYO, Japan — Japan will deploy medium-range surface-to-air missiles to its remote western island of Yonaguni by March 2031, Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has announced, marking a significant step in Tokyo’s evolving security posture amid rising tensions with China.
The timeline is the first official schedule given since the deployment plan was unveiled in 2022. Yonaguni Island lies just 110 kilometres from Taiwan and is visible from its shores on clear days, placing it at the heart of growing geopolitical friction in the East China Sea.
Koizumi said the Yonaguni unit would be equipped with medium-range surface-to-air missiles capable of intercepting incoming aircraft and missile threats. “The current plan is for fiscal year 2030,” he stated, noting that the timing may shift depending on infrastructure upgrades.
The announcement came a day after Beijing imposed export curbs on 20 Japanese companies, citing national security concerns. China has yet to formally respond to the missile deployment timeline, though it previously accused Tokyo of “creating regional tension and provoking military confrontation.”
China claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to achieve reunification. Any conflict over Taiwan could draw in the United States, a key ally of both Taiwan and Japan, raising fears of a wider regional war.
Tensions between Tokyo and Beijing have escalated since November, when Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested Japan could activate its Self-Defense Forces in the event of an attack on Taiwan. Her remarks triggered diplomatic protests from Beijing and further strained bilateral ties.
Within days of Koizumi’s visit to Yonaguni last November, China flew drones near the island, prompting Japan to scramble fighter jets. Beijing also increased pressure through trade and cultural measures, including restrictions on rare earth exports and tourism flows.
Yonaguni has gradually transformed from a quiet frontier island into a strategic military outpost over the past decade. Around 160 personnel from the Japan Self-Defense Forces are currently stationed there, primarily conducting coastal surveillance. An electronic warfare unit capable of disrupting enemy communications and radar is scheduled to be operational in fiscal year 2026.
Security analysts say the missile deployment signals that Japan views its southwestern islands as a frontline buffer in any Taiwan contingency. It also reflects Tokyo’s broader defence expansion under Takaichi’s administration, which recently secured a decisive parliamentary victory, strengthening its mandate to bolster military capabilities.
Japan’s post-war pacifist constitution limits offensive military action, but successive governments have reinterpreted its provisions to allow greater collective self-defence in coordination with allies. The planned missile deployment is framed as defensive in nature, intended to deter potential aggression and protect Japanese territory.
The move underscores shifting power dynamics in East Asia, where strategic competition between China and the United States increasingly shapes regional policy decisions. For Tokyo, Yonaguni’s fortification represents both a deterrent message to Beijing and reassurance to Washington of Japan’s commitment to regional security.
As tensions simmer, the missile deployment is likely to remain a flashpoint in Sino-Japanese relations, reinforcing Yonaguni’s role as a symbol of Japan’s more assertive defence strategy.
