Japan Plans to Upgrade 16 Airports, Ports for Military Use

Japan is set to upgrade five airports and eleven seaports for use by its defense forces and coast guard during military emergencies, Kyodo News reported on March 27.

The Japanese government, through Kyodo News, revealed plans to upgrade five airports and eleven seaports to facilitate military operations during emergencies. These upgrades, estimated at around 35 billion yen ($230 million), are aimed at modernizing infrastructure to accommodate fighter jets, transport planes, destroyers, and other sizable military vessels.

The airports earmarked for modernization are strategically located in Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Miyazaki, and Okinawa, with the latter serving as a vital hub for U.S. military bases in Japan. The plan also includes the modification of ports across Hokkaido, Kagawa, Kochi, Fukuoka, and Okinawa, where Self-Defense Forces units are stationed.

This initiative is part of Japan's broader strategy to bolster the defense of its southwestern islands, especially given the ongoing tensions surrounding the Senkaku Islands. These uninhabited islets, controlled by Tokyo but claimed by China (where they're known as Diaoyu), have been a focal point of regional discord.Tokyo is seriously concerned about closer military cooperation between China and Russia in terms of security, both for Japan and the entire region, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi stated earlier in March.