Japan to Build Shelters on Remote Isles amid Taiwan Tensions

Tokyo, Sept. 16 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government is considering building shelters on remote islands in the southernmost prefecture of Okinawa to evacuate residents in emergency situations including a conflict in Taiwan, government sources said Friday.

Remote islands, including Okinawa's Sakishima Islands, lacks facilities for evacuating residents. The Sakishima chain includes the island of Ishigaki.

The Cabinet Secretariat asked for 70 million yen in budget outlays for fiscal 2023, which starts in April next year, for research costs related to shelters that can protect people from armed attacks.

It will also conduct a comparative study of shelters installed above the ground and underground ones. Based on the results, the government will decide when and where to build shelters, the sources said.

The civil protection law calls on prefectural governments and others to designate evacuation facilities that can be used in times of emergency.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]