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By Micah McCartney
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A Newsweek map displays the range of the medium-range missiles Japan plans to deploy on a far southwest island situated just 70 miles from Beijing-claimed Taiwan.
China's Foreign Ministry has issued a sharp protest after Japan's defense chief confirmed the country would stand up Type 03 Chu-SAM surface-to-air missiles on Okinawa Prefecture's Yonaguni Island.
"Japan's deployment of offensive weapons to southwest islands close to China's Taiwan is a deliberate move that creates regional tensions and stokes military rivalry," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said during a regular press conference Monday.
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Why It Matters
China has in recent years increased pressure on Taiwan, which claims as its territory, through large-scale military exercises in nearby waters and near-daily sorties across the midline of the Taiwan Strait. Beijing has repeatedly said unification is inevitable, without ruling out the use of force.
Beijing-Tokyo tensions are running high after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that a Chinese military blockade of Taiwan would constitute a “survival-threatening” situation, thereby enabling “collective defense” alongside U.S. military forces—a rare exception under Japan’s pacifist constitution. While previous premiers have linked Taiwan’s security to Japan’s, Takaichi was the first to detail the prospect of military action.
Newsweek reached out by email to the Japanese Defense Ministry with a request for comment.
What To Know
"Given Prime Minister Takaichi's erroneous remarks on Taiwan, this move is extremely dangerous. Neighboring countries and the world should be on high alert," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters.
Operated from 8x8 trucks, the Type 03 missile system uses phased-array radar technology to track up to 100 warplanes, ballistic missiles, or drones simultaneously. Each unit can engage up to a dozen targets at ranges up to 30 miles—well short of the Taiwanese coast, let alone the Chinese mainland.
The deployment, first reported in January, has raised concerns that the move could further increase tensions and paint a target on the island and its 1,700 inhabitants.
Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visited Yonaguni on Sunday to meet with local officials and residents and make the case for the missiles. When asked about the possible impact of a Taiwan contingency on the island, he declined to comment on hypothetical situations, per the Japan Times.
What People Are Saying
Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told reporters, according to Japan Times: “The deployment can help lower the chance of an armed attack on our country [...] The view that it will heighten regional tensions is not accurate.”
Tom Shugart, former U.S. Navy submariner and adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, previously told Newsweek: Does [the Type 03] matter for a Taiwan scenario? Maybe [...] Not so much for protecting any large-scale infrastructure on Yonaguni—because I don't think there is any—but it might be useful for protecting offensive systems that could be used against China."
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether Chinese and Japanese officials can dial down tensions. Mao suggested Takaichi's remarks were the reason China's No. 2, Premier Li Qiang, did not meet with her on the sidelines of the G20 leaders' meeting, which wrapped up Sunday in Johannesburg, South Africa.
U.S. defense and intelligence officials have said they believe Chinese President Xi Jinping has directed his military to be capable of moving against Taiwan by 2027, though they have acknowledged this does not necessarily mean he has decided on that year—or any specific year—to move forward.
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