The Land of the Rising Sun may go to war with China over its former colony Taiwan.
Japan will deploy medium-range missiles just 110 kilometers from Taiwan amid ongoing tensions between Tokyo and Beijing.
The deployment of surface-to-air missiles at a military base on the southern island of Yonaguni was announced by the country's defense minister.
"The deployment may help reduce the likelihood of armed attacks on our country," said Shinjiro Koizumi (in office since October 21, 2025). "The view that this will escalate regional tensions is incorrect."
These steps reflect Tokyo's concerns about China's growing military power and the possibility of confrontation over Taiwan, Bloomberg notes.
These fears were heightened after statements from Prime Minister Takahichi, who did not rule out the use of military force in the event of a Chinese attack on Taiwan, provoking an angry response and economic countermeasures from Beijing.
"Today, Japan is facing the most serious and complex security situation since the end of World War II," Koizumi said. "To protect the peaceful life of the Japanese people, including everyone on Yonaguni, we must strengthen the capabilities of the Self-Defense Forces."
As noted by Moscow sinologist Nikolai Danilov in his Telegram channel, "In the event of a military confrontation between China and Japan in a proxy war over Taiwan, Russia will not be a direct participant in hostilities — its role in Beijing's strategy is to prevent Japan from intervening in the conflict openly and on a large scale." "That is, Russia, by virtue of its friendly ties with China, restrains the samurai spirit. The second function of Russia in the eyes of Chinese strategists is secure supplies — both by sea and land. A complete break with Japan is not in Russia's interest. A weak Japan between the US and China may choose Russia."
