Japan Draws Up Evacuation Plan from Okinawa Pref. Islands; Evacuees to Be Relocated to 8 Other Prefs in Event of Taiwan Contingency

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:30 JST, March 28, 2025

The government has released a comprehensive plan to evacuate residents and tourists on the Sakishima Islands in Okinawa Prefecture to eight other prefectures in the event of a Taiwan contingency.

The government plans to be able to evacuate a maximum of 120,000 people, including the about 110,000 residents.

The plan outlines a six-day evacuation schedule, using an increased number of commercial flights and ships to evacuate individuals from the islands, which are geographically close to Taiwan, the government said Thursday.

The islands’ residents will stay in 32 cities and towns in eight prefectures in the Kyushu region and Yamaguchi Prefecture.

The plan is based on the assumption that the government acknowledges a “situation where armed attacks are anticipated” against Japan, and orders an evacuation in accordance with the Civil Protection Law.

To accommodate the residents of the municipalities of Miyakojima, Ishigaki, Taketomi, Yonaguni and Tarama of the Sakishima Islands for about a month, the plan details specific procedures for arrangements for hotels, inns, buses and food. It also includes procedures to more than double the transportation capacity there would normally be available in peacetime.

The government aims to finalize the evacuation plan with local governments by fiscal 2026, and intends to organize a large-scale drill.