滝本 匠 
July 7, 2022 Ryukyu Shimpo
By Yu Takei
The Yaeyama cities and towns committee, led by Ishigaki mayor Yoshitaka Nakayama, visited the Okinawa Prefectural Office on July 6, where they appealed to vice-governor Takekuni Ikeda to establish measures for protecting civilians in the case of an armed attack by another country on the Yaeyama islands, based on the Civilian Protection Plan which calls for the Self-Defense Forces to guide civilians in an evacuation if such an emergency were to occur.
In the written request, they indicate that there are increased concerns that China may try to invade Taiwan after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and asked for a system be quickly put in place for coordination between the central Japanese government and related institutions, as well as support for emergency shelters to protect civilians in the case of an emergency.
Vie-governor Ikeda confirmed regarding civilian safety, “It is important for us to think about how to improve our response abilities,” and that they would endeavor to construct methods of coordination with different organizations during peacetime, as well as continue to identify facilities that could be used as emergency evacuation locations if an emergency arises.
Nakayama, who read aloud the request at the meeting, asked that the representatives from the three municipalities in the Yaeyama islands be admitted to the second brainstorming meeting for civilian safety on July 22, “as members rather than observers, and that we be allowed to state our opinions so that they can be appropriately considered.”
In order to fully evacuate Ishigaki using civilian aircraft, if they are able to operate 45 flights per day it is expected to take “9.67 days,” and the necessity of evacuating civilians from remote islands has become a topic of discussion recently.
(English translation by T&CT and Sam Grieb)
