Japan has reportedly agreed to deploy surface-to-air missile systems on its westernmost island, Yonaguni, by a particular deadline in March 2031. This was reportedly confirmed by the country’s defense minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, on February 24, 2026. This move marks a hardening of the country's military position just 110km from Taiwan. This move has been described as a calculated escalation by the government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, which has increasingly tied its national security to a potential conflict in Taiwan. However, in retaliation, China, which considers Taiwan its own, has reportedly started taking measures through "panda diplomacy" and economic measures, including halting exports to 20 Japanese companies. As Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi prepares for a potentially explosive visit to Washington in March, the move marks a shift from the country's traditional pacifism towards a position of forward-positioned deterrence in the face of China's military expansion.