Japan plans to deploy surface-to-air missiles on its remote western island of Yonaguni by March 2031, Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, as regional tensions with China continue to simmer.
This marks the first time Japan has provided a specific timeline for the missile deployment on Yonaguni since the plan was first revealed in 2022.
Yonaguni lies just 110 km (68 miles) from Taiwan’s shores and is visible from the island on clear days. China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve “reunification.”
Tensions between Tokyo and Beijing have escalated sharply since November 2025, when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested Japan would activate its self-defence forces in the event of an attack on Taiwan.
The remarks plunged bilateral relations to their lowest point in years. In response, China has intensified pressure through multiple channels: sending warships near Japanese waters, restricting rare earth exports, curbing Chinese tourism to Japan, cancelling concerts, and even recalling its pandas from Japanese zoos.
Koizumi’s announcement came one day after China imposed export curbs on 20 Japanese companies and entities, citing national security concerns.
The Yonaguni unit will be equipped with Japanese-made medium-range surface-to-air missiles capable of intercepting incoming aircraft and missiles. With a range of approximately 50 km and 360-degree coverage, the system can track up to 100 targets simultaneously and engage up to 12 at once.
China has not yet publicly responded to the latest timeline announcement. However, when Koizumi visited Yonaguni in November 2025, Beijing accused Japan of “creating regional tension and provoking military confrontation.” Days later, China flew drones near the island, prompting Japan to scramble fighter jets in response.
The Yonaguni deployment forms part of Japan’s broader military buildup under Takaichi’s leadership. Since her landslide parliamentary election victory earlier this month, she has gained significant political space to accelerate defence enhancements and increase military spending.
Over the past decade, Japan has steadily transformed Yonaguni from a quiet outpost into a military base. It currently hosts coastal surveillance operations with around 160 members of the Japan Self-Defence Forces.
An electronic warfare unit capable of disrupting enemy communications and radar will be established there in fiscal year 2026 (April 2026–March 2027).
The missile unit deployment is currently scheduled for fiscal year 2030, though Koizumi noted the timeline “may change depending on the progress of future facility improvements.”
Analysts view the announcement as more than a routine military adjustment—it signals the opening of a more assertive chapter in Japanese defence policy under Takaichi. As she continues to bolster military capabilities and budgets, such moves are expected to intensify.
Yonaguni’s strategic position also underscores where Japan sees its frontline and how far it is prepared to go to defend it.
