Japan, Okinawa hold simulation drill for evacuations

The central and Okinawa prefectural governments conducted a simulation drill on Friday for the evacuation of residents from the Sakishima Islands.

The exercise — the first of its kind — was conducted at the head office of the prefectural government.

The exercise aimed to determine the best way to evacuate around 120,000 people from the islands to Kyushu prefectures and secure the necessary transport under the Civil Protection Law, as concerns over a possible military emergency involving Taiwan.

The Sakishima Islands are close to Taiwan and comprise five municipalities - Miyakojima, Ishigaki, Taketomi, Yonaguni and Tarama - all of which belong to Okinawa Prefecture.

The exercise was conducted on the basis of a rapidly deteriorating security environment around Japan and a serious risk of armed attacks. The drill also assumed that the central government had directed the evacuation of about 120,000 residents and tourists to Kyushu and had advised people on Okinawa Island to stay indoors.

Around 40 officials from the Cabinet Secretariat, Ground, Maritime and Air Self-Defense Forces and other government departments gathered at the prefectural office, while members of the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry, and other authorities participated online.

After the issuance of a mock instruction to prepare for the evacuation, officials of the prefectural government held discussions with private airline companies and others concerned parties and proposed evacuation routes for planes and shipping.

The evacuation plan included a plan for the evacuation of about 120,000 people. The Okinawa prefectural government estimated it could transport a maximum of 22,000 per day, which would take around six days for full evacuation under normal weather conditions.

If a single flight was delayed, it would have a big impact on subsequent flights, according to an official of Japan Transocean Air Co., a Naha-based airline that participated in the exercise. It is another matter to consider getting people to airports. Efforts to help people with special needs evacuate and secure accommodation for evacuees were not addressed during the exercise and remain points that need to be addressed in the future.

Ishigaki Mayor Yoshitaka Nakayama urged that shelters be built as soon as possible. The fundamental measure is to evacuate the islands, but we also need shelters that can accommodate around 2,000 people, including senior city government officials and workers to protect local infrastructure. Nakayama said something.

During the final days of the Pacific War, only a limited number of residents were able to leave the prefecture, and many lost their lives.