The Japanese government is looking into constructing bomb shelters on the southernmost Okinawa islands near Taiwan to protect its residents from missile attacks should there be a military conflict in the Taiwan Strait. 

(Photo : OLEKSANDR GIMANOV/AFP via Getty Images)
Children sit in a bomb shelter located in the basement of kindergarten during an educational air raid alarm and safety lesson organized by the Ukrainian Emergency Service in Odessa on September 12, 2022.

The Cabinet Secretariat has requested 70 million yen for fiscal 2023 to conduct research to look into various aspects, such as technical and cost issues, as reported by Nikkei Asia.

The government will prioritize building shelters on the Sakishima Islands in southern Okinawa, such as Yonaguni and Ishigaki. Currently, only six officially designated evacuation shelters in all of Okinawa Prefecture, but all are on the main island. 

And there are many islands in Okinawa Prefecture that doesn't have underground facilities that can serve as shelters. Therefore, the government also plans to build above-ground shelters. 

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Will China Invade Taiwan?

China's invasion of Taiwan seem possible with the tensions rising in the Taiwan Strait. However, not much progress has been made in discussions of how to protect and evacuate residents on those islands. In July, municipal representatives from the islands most vulnerable to the Taiwan conflict petitioned the Okinawa prefectural government to construct shelters. 

In addition to this, calls are growing from ruling and opposition party lawmakers in Tokyo that is urging the government to build shelters as North Korea continues to test-fire ballistic missiles. 

Currently, there are only 1,278 shelters underground and no clear standards for how powerful a blast a shelter can withstand. With the varying depths below ground of these underground shelters, the expected level of damage mitigation is unsure.Ten percent of the designated underground shelters are in Tokyo, which means that the rest of these shelters are spread thinly across the country. 

The development of these shelters is being set as a long-term initiative by the government. Unfortunately, it was overlooked; therefore, the government is now picking up the pace to put more focus on their construction to better prepare for missile attacks. 

It should also be noted that earlier this month, a North Korean missile flew over the country that triggered the J-Alert warning system for Aomori Prefecture and Hokkaido. Unfortunately, the prefectures only have eight and 16 underground shelters that are not fully equipped. 

This brought on light to the lack of facilities in these underground shelters, and the consideration for older adults and children with disabilities that require special accommodation. In addition to this, several facilities will also need refurbishing with doors that can withstand bomb blasts. 

In conclusion, our world is rapidly changing and the establishment of bomb shelters is not just a luxury. Everyone should be aware of the possible dangers that are on the horizon, and be prepared to safeguard their household and loved ones.

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Written by April Fowell