Japan to transform civilian airports and seaports into military assets
Japan is set to upgrade five airports and eleven seaports, repurposing them for use by its defense forces and coast guard during military emergencies, Kyodo News reported on March 27.
Officials plan to greenlight the modernization efforts soon, with projects kicking off in April. The initial budget is pegged at about 35 billion yen ($230 million).
These upgrades include lengthening runways and expanding aprons at airports to accommodate fighter jets and transport planes, while ports will be modified to dock destroyers and sizable military vessels.
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The five airports earmarked for modernization are located in the prefectures of Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Miyazaki, and Okinawa, —the latter being a central hub for U.S. military bases in Japan.
Of the designated ports, five are in Hokkaido, which houses numerous Self-Defense Forces units. The remaining are spread across Kagawa and Kochi in Shikoku and one each in Fukuoka and Okinawa.
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This initiative is part of Japan's broader strategy to bolster the defense of its southwestern islands, especially given the ongoing tensions surrounding the Senkaku Islands. These uninhabited islets, controlled by Tokyo but claimed by China (where they're known as Diaoyu), have been a focal point of regional discord.
Tokyo is seriously concerned about closer military cooperation between China and Russia in terms of security, both for Japan and the entire region, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi stated earlier in March.
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