By Clint Richards
The Japanese government is pursuing a comprehensive plan to exert control over its far-flung islands.
The Japanese government is stepping up efforts to increase both its presence and the population’s awareness of claims to remote islands off the western coast of its main islands. The plans include the stationing of troops, increased investment in development, and the strengthening of “maritime education.” While these plans target islands from as far north as Hokkaido all the way south to Okinawa, they are still primarily concerned with exerting Japan’s claims to islands that are disputed with China.
The largest and most ambitious part of the plans announced this week is a bill the ruling Liberal Democratic Party is considering for this fall’s Diet session. According to the Yomiuri Shimbun, the plan intends to designate “about 10 inhabited remote islands near national borders as ‘special border remote islands’ to intensively promote the islands’ protection and development.” As noted above, the islands run the length of Japan’s west coast, and the bill seeks to assist islands that the government feels have been targeted by South Korean or Chinese entities in order to assert their claims or infringe on Japanese fishing rights. In light of these island’s dwindling populations (due to a lack of industry and connectivity to the home islands), the bill would increase government investment in ports, roads and infrastructure, as well as giving fishermen support “who suffer damage from illegal acts by foreign vessels.” More importantly, the plan also calls for the government to purchase property on these islands to be used by the Self-Defense Forces and coast guard as ports and airfields.
Read the full story at The Diplomat