No. 1292 Dangerous Assumptions of Three Documents on National Security
The recently revised three documents on national security develop to launching their implementation as well as being faits accomplish; 30% of the items have been well established and another 30% will be commit in concretely. The current situation in the southwestern islands of the Okinawa Prefecture unveils the policy of Japanese government. Outright preparations for a war threaten lives of residents, who give out an anguish cry.
ANOTHER WAR IN OKINAWA – ABSOLUTELY NO!
Underground military command facilities
In late December last year commercial media reports have disclosed a fact that the Ground and Maritime Self Defense Forces (SDF) have plans to build underground facilities at the four sites by the year 2028.
According to the Yomiuri newspaper dated on December 31, the military authority told that ‘it had concluded that it is necessary to maintain functions even if any attack should be made’ at the locations of the GSDF camps at Naha and Yonakuni (Okinawa), Kengun (Kumamoto), and the MSDF’s District Headquarters at Maizuru (Kyoto).
The bases in Okinawa entail severer danger than those at Kengun and Maizuru located in the main islands. According to the reports, the SDF troops will use the Yonakuni Island and the Ishigaki Island as training grounds at peacetime, and shelters are planned to be constructed so that people should be evacuated at wartime.
The Yomiuri reported on January 10 that US Marines stationed in Okinawa will be realigned by the year 2025 to be a regiment, the Marine Littoral Regiment (MLR), a rapid reaction unit to cope with an emergency in the remote islands area. They will be equipped with long-range surface-to-ship missiles and air defense systems.
Close-combats envisaged in the southwestern island region
Meanwhile, the Nikkei newspaper dated January 4 says that the GSDF will reorganize its divisions and brigades across the country to get ready to be deployed in the southwestern islands. The 15th Brigade of Naha, in particular, will be raked up and intensified to be a division of 4,900-7,700 troops and a new replenishing station will be built up of the GSDF to accumulate ammunitions.
Thus, the MLR and the GSDF will be unified so as to fight ground combats on the islands in the southwestern region of Japan.
The Okinawa Times newspaper conducted a questionnaire last December, asking questions to heads of municipalities in the prefecture; 95% of the respondents say ‘they worry about an emergency situation in Taiwan’ and 70% of them fear of ‘a possibility to be a battle ground again’. More than 80% of the heads replied that the government’s diplomatic effort is insufficient. Most of the mayors of cities and towns are conservative politicians and they think it is ‘necessary’ to enhance military capabilities, but they acutely recognize peril of a war.
Only one option – Actions!
A news commentary of the Ryukyu Shimpo newspaper dated December 27 says:
‘The southwestern islands will be a combat zone in an ‘emergency’…. We, Okinawan people, as residents, adamantly reject another war in the island…. Deterrence means a power to intimidate others. No limit lies in the menacing competitions. A combat may accidentally break out. Or for some reason ‘deterrence’ will be broken. If so, a war will happen. If a war comes, a hell will prevail.’
‘The United States prepares for a war in the Taiwan and the Southwestern Islands areas, incorporating Japan. People in Okinawa will never accept the war plan. We have only one option, which is actions to halt another war here in Okinawa’.
司令部を地下化へ
昨年末、陸上自衛隊と海上自衛隊の４施設で司令部の地下化を２０２８年度までに進める計画が報じられた。
『読売新聞』12月31日付は、陸自の那覇駐屯地（沖縄県）と与那国駐屯地（同）、健軍駐屯地（ 熊本県）、海自の舞鶴地方総監部（京都府）で、「攻撃を受けた際でも機能を維持させる必要があると判断した」と報じている。
健軍や舞鶴など本土も危険だが、深刻なのは沖縄だ。与那国島と石垣島では、平時は自衛隊が訓練に使い、有事に住民避難できるシェルター施設の整備を検討とも報じられた。
『読売』（ １・10））は、沖縄県にいる米海兵隊を２０２５年度までに改編し、離島有事に即応する「海兵沿岸連隊（ＭＬＲ）」を創設すると報じた。長射程の対艦ミサイルや防空機能を備える。
南西諸島で接近戦
一方、『日経』（１・４）によれば、陸自は全国の師団、旅団を南西諸島にも展開可能な部隊に改編する。特に那覇の第15旅団を師団（４９００～７７００人）に格上げして増強し、弾薬などを集積する陸自補給拠点を沖縄市に新設という。
ＭＬＲと陸自が一体になって、南西諸島で地上戦を戦う体制がつくられることになる。
『沖縄タイムス』が昨年末に実施した沖縄県自治体首長へのアンケートでは、「台湾有事への懸念がある」とする回答が95％。７割が「再び戦場になる」と危機感を示し、政府の外交努力が「不十分」としたのは８割に上った。市町村長の大部分は保守系で、７割が南西諸島の軍備強化を「必要」としたが、戦争の危険性への認識は切実だ。
行動するしかない
『琉球新報』社説（12・27 ）は、次のように訴える。
「南西諸島は『有事』となれば戦場になる。…住民として、沖縄戦の再来は断固拒否する。…抑止力とは『威嚇力』だ。威嚇合戦には際限がない。偶発的に戦闘が起きることがある。あるいは何らかの理由で『抑止』が破れる。そうして戦争は起き、起きたら地獄なのである。
…米国は、日本を巻き込んで台湾や南西諸島での戦争を準備している。沖縄県民が受け入れられるはずがない。…沖縄戦の再来を食い止めるために今、行動するしかない」
英訳版↓
No. 1292 Dangerous Assumptions of Three Documents on National Security
The recently revised three documents on national security develop to launching their implementation as well as being faits accomplish; 30% of the items have been well established and another 30% will be commit in concretely. The current situation in the southwestern islands of the Okinawa Prefecture unveils the policy of Japanese government. Outright preparations for a war threaten lives of residents, who give out an anguish cry.
ANOTHER WAR IN OKINAWA – ABSOLUTELY NO!
Underground military command facilities
In late December last year commercial media reports have disclosed a fact that the Ground and Maritime Self Defense Forces (SDF) have plans to build underground facilities at the four sites by the year 2028.
According to the Yomiuri newspaper dated on December 31, the military authority told that ‘it had concluded that it is necessary to maintain functions even if any attack should be made’ at the locations of the GSDF camps at Naha and Yonakuni (Okinawa), Kengun (Kumamoto), and the MSDF’s District Headquarters at Maizuru (Kyoto).
The bases in Okinawa entail severer danger than those at Kengun and Maizuru located in the main islands. According to the reports, the SDF troops will use the Yonakuni Island and the Ishigaki Island as training grounds at peacetime, and shelters are planned to be constructed so that people should be evacuated at wartime.
The Yomiuri reported on January 10 that US Marines stationed in Okinawa will be realigned by the year 2025 to be a regiment, the Marine Littoral Regiment (MLR), a rapid reaction unit to cope with an emergency in the remote islands area. They will be equipped with long-range surface-to-ship missiles and air defense systems.
Close-combats envisaged in the southwestern island region
Meanwhile, the Nikkei newspaper dated January 4 says that the GSDF will reorganize its divisions and brigades across the country to get ready to be deployed in the southwestern islands. The 15th Brigade of Naha, in particular, will be raked up and intensified to be a division of 4,900-7,700 troops and a new replenishing station will be built up of the GSDF to accumulate ammunitions.
Thus, the MLR and the GSDF will be unified so as to fight ground combats on the islands in the southwestern region of Japan.
The Okinawa Times newspaper conducted a questionnaire last December, asking questions to heads of municipalities in the prefecture; 95% of the respondents say ‘they worry about an emergency situation in Taiwan’ and 70% of them fear of ‘a possibility to be a battle ground again’. More than 80% of the heads replied that the government’s diplomatic effort is insufficient. Most of the mayors of cities and towns are conservative politicians and they think it is ‘necessary’ to enhance military capabilities, but they acutely recognize peril of a war.
Only one option – Actions!
A news commentary of the Ryukyu Shimpo newspaper dated December 27 says:
‘The southwestern islands will be a combat zone in an ‘emergency’…. We, Okinawan people, as residents, adamantly reject another war in the island…. Deterrence means a power to intimidate others. No limit lies in the menacing competitions. A combat may accidentally break out. Or for some reason ‘deterrence’ will be broken. If so, a war will happen. If a war comes, a hell will prevail.’
‘The United States prepares for a war in the Taiwan and the Southwestern Islands areas, incorporating Japan. People in Okinawa will never accept the war plan. We have only one option, which is actions to halt another war here in Okinawa’.
January 25, 2023