Japan to Start Designating Security-Linked Land in 2022

Tokyo, Sept. 16 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government is expected to start designating areas deemed important in terms of national security in stages from 2022 under a law enacted last year.

At a cabinet meeting Friday, the government adopted the basic policy on the law to regulate the use of national security-related land areas such as those near Self-Defense Force facilities and remote border islands.

It also presented seven examples of "acts that impede the functions" of important facilities and remote islands that will be subject to regulation under the law.

The law defines facilities of the SDF, the U.S. military in Japan and the Japan Coast Guard, as well as nuclear power and fuel reprocessing facilities and others, as "important facilities."

It allows the prime minister to designate areas within 1 kilometer of the important facilities, as well as remote border islands and some other places, as "monitored areas," and areas around facilities deemed particularly important, such as those with command functions, as "special monitored areas."

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]