Japan To Establish The Okinawa-Based Unit Amid CCP’s Military Threat

According to Japanese media reports on December 3, the Japanese Defense Ministry intends to establish the Okinawa-based Unit in the Ground Self-Defense Force(GSDF) to defend the Nansei Islands. The new unit will be deployed to the GSDF by fiscal 2027. The policy on the establishment of the infantry regiment will be incorporated into the Defense Force Development Plan and approved by the Cabinet by the end of this year.

Japan’s Ministry of Defense believes that it is necessary to expand its military strength to strengthen the defense of the Nansei Islands near Taiwan due to the CCP’s hegemonic behavior around Taiwan strait. The establishment of the Okinawa-based Unit will allow troops to be deployed from Okinawa main island to various remote islands in case of emergency, improving deterrence through the defense system.

This move shows that the Japanese government is following what former Prime Minister Abe said last year, “A Taiwan emergency is a Japanese emergency”, analysts commented. Historically, the strength of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces in Okinawa is limited because the Japanese Self-Defense Forces primarily targeted the former Soviet Union and later Russia, and never considered the CCP a major threat.

As the CCP is strengthening its military power in the Taiwan Strait area, the Japanese government perceives the CCP as the major threat.