Japan's Defense Ministry has said it will set up new underground shelters and evacuation centers capable of accommodating the local population for two weeks in the event of military attacks with ballistic missiles and aerial bombardments. To this end, the Tokyo executive has identified five municipalities, located in the southwestern islands of Sakishima, in Okinawa Prefecture.

The five cities identified by the Ministry of Defense are Ishigaki, Miyakojima, Taketomi, Yonaguni and Tarama, selected as they are located on remote islands, where evacuation is particularly difficult. These five locations met the requirements and announced that they had conducted regular exercises with civil protection and the central government.

In the event of "a possible emergency situation linked to the Taiwan crisis", the Tokyo government has therefore announced the creation of a direct communication line for coordination with the five municipalities. According to various experts on international affairs, China could in fact launch a military campaign to conquer the island by 2035, an operation that could degenerate the situation in the Indo-Pacific area.