Yonaguni, a remote island located far southwest of Japan, is perhaps best known for its mysterious underwater rock formations, or for a Bad Bunny song of the same name. However, the island is quickly becoming a key frontier in the conflict between China and Taiwan.
Yonaguni, the westernmost island of Japan’s Ryukyu Islands, is closer to Taiwan than the Japanese mainland, located a mere 110 kilometres from Taiwanese shores.
The island, due to its unique location, has historically enjoyed closer ties to Taiwan than mainland Japan, with many of the island’s residents travelling to the country for education, work, and medical treatment.
Today, Taiwan still remains an important economic partner of the island. But in the midst of rising tensions between Taiwan and China, Yonaguni is undergoing rapid change.
Trouble in Paradise: Japan-Taiwan Ramp Up Defence
Amid increasing tensions between Japan, Taiwan, and China, Yonaguni plays an essential role in Japan’s security. Last year, Japan’s Defence White Paper emphasised that Taiwan’s security is inextricably linked to Japan’s security.
In 2024, the annual assessment warned of a possible regional conflict similar to the Russia-Ukraine War, with primary security threats being China, North Korea, and Russia.
In response, the White Paper recommended increased deterrence, leading to intense development of military infrastructure in the southwestern island.
From Paradise to Geopolitical Pawn: Yonaguni’s New Role
Japan aims to position Yonaguni as a strategic monitoring point in the Taiwan Strait.
As such, Japan has increased military presence and infrastructure on the island since 2024, further developing a military base built in 2016.
U.S. Role in Yonaguni
In 2024, the U.S. Marine Corps deployed radar on Yonaguni, tracking objects in the island’s airspace and waters, as Chinese vessels and aircraft often pass the island.
In early 2025, Japan deployed the Type 03 Chu-SAM, a ballistic missile system, on the island, aiming to deter potential aerial threats.
The rapid militarisation of Yonaguni has led to increased scrutiny from China. Joint Japanese -U.S. military exercises in the area could be seen as a direct provocation to China. Taiwan on the other hand has praised the island’s militarisation.
Taiwanese Stance on Yonaguni
Taiwan’s president emphasised the importance of bolstering defence capabilities to counter external threats.
Discussions between Taiwan and Japan suggest a shared concern about regional security, specifically, threats posed by Chinese military operations near Taiwan.
The influx of military personnel has brought economic benefits to the island. As the island has a population of only 1.500 residents, many have argued that the arrival of troops will be a boom to the local economy.
Kenichi Itokazu, the mayor of Yonaguni, has campaigned for Japanese troop deployment for decades.
Itokazu believes that in order to prevent the island from becoming a battlefield it must be “fortified”. Other residents are not so confident.
Divided Loyalties: Yonaguni’s Struggle Between Defense and Local Concerns
Many residents are conflicted about the island’s rapid militarisation. Some are wary about potentially becoming a point of conflict with China. Many feel that their home is becoming a centre of geopolitical tension.
Despite generally positive sentiments towards Taiwan, many are directly opposed to the militarisation of their community and worry that the military buildup could provoke an attack.
Fumie Kano, an innkeeper and lifelong Yonaguni resident, recalls the days when officials and residents wanted to improve the economy and environment through commercial exchange with Taiwan.
Kano says that those plans were set aside when hosting Japanese troops became an easier alternative to gain subsidies and protection.
Is Militarisation a Positive Step?
Disagreements about the rapid militarisation have divided the island.
Other residents feel increasing pressure due to Chinese military exercises on their doorstep.
In 2022, several Chinese ballistic missiles fired during the U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan visit prevented local fisherfolk from operating for a week.
Yonaguni fisheries association chief and town assembly member Shigenori Takenishi said of the incident, “It was an extremely dangerous exercise that really made us feel China’s potential threat right next to us.”
Masateru Nakazato, a teacher at a local school, said pupils regularly ask him what would happen in case of a conflict over Taiwan. “I tell them, that’s why we have the self defence forces,” he continued. “They will protect us. And America will protect us.”
For many residents of the island, fears of conflict stir bitter memories of the Battle of Okinawa, where both Japanese and U.S. soldiers alike slaughtered local civilians. Historians say that Japan sacrificed Okinawa to defend its mainland during the Pacific Theatre.
As a result, many residents of Yonaguni and surrounding islands feel ambivalent or outright hostile towards Japanese and U.S. military installations in their territory.
Yonaguni at a Crossroads: Caught Between Security and Uncertainty
Yonaguni’s rapid militarisation represents a shift in the geopolitical landscape of East Asia and growing fear about a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
While Japan and Taiwan see the militarisation of Yonaguni as a chokepoint crucial for defence, local residents remain divided.
As tensions continue to rise in the region, the island is trapped between a rock and a hard place.
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