Japan will station mid-range missiles on Yonaguni Island, just 110 km from Taiwan, marking one of its most significant military moves in decades as Tokyo seeks to deter growing Chinese aggression in the region.
The deployment is part of a broader defense expansion aimed at countering Beijing’s rising threats toward Taiwan and ensuring stability across key Indo-Pacific routes.
Beijing has reacted sharply, viewing any Japanese involvement in the Taiwan issue with deep suspicion. China’s sensitivity stems from its traumatic history in World War II, when Imperial Japan committed widespread atrocities across Chinese territory. Today, the prospect of an increasingly assertive Japan siding with Taiwan and the US-led security architecture puts additional pressure on Beijing’s strategic calculations.
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