Japan wants to enhance civilian air hubs and seaports for ‘contingency’. Are these also for the US military?

Japan plans to expand and enhance facilities at existing civilian air hubs and seaports across the country for military use in the event of a “contingency” in the region, according to reports in Tokyo.

Military observers say the move is essential as such infrastructure in the region is lacking at present, but expansion would involve existing facilities being “multiplied several times over” and consultations with residents.

“Japan is making the case that these facilities will be important in the event of a natural disaster in the region and that they will benefit islanders, but neither Japan nor the US are talking about US personnel using them,” said Garren Mulloy, a professor of international relations at Daito Bunka University and a specialist in military issues.

“That is likely to be for fear of pushback from the local residents as much as an effort to avoid provoking China,” he told This Week in Asia.

Quoting unnamed government sources, national broadcaster NHK earlier said five airports and 11 seaports had been identified for significant upgrades due to growing concerns over mainland Chinese pressure on Taiwan and Beijing’s continued claims to the disputed Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea. Tokyo administers the territories and refers to them as the Senkaku Islands.