Earlier in the day, Matsuno met with the members of the administration of Kagoshima Prefecture located on the island of Kyushu. The officials discussed, in particular, transporting refugees from the remote islands of the Sakishima Islands by sea and air, using the prefecture's air and sea ports, as well as their temporary accommodation in case of an emergency situation in Taiwan.
"The state, Okinawa Prefecture as well as the cities and towns involved are working together to work out the transportation options, develop a backup plan if sea vessels cannot be used due to bad weather, and move forward with evacuation plans," Matsuno was quoted as saying by a Japanese broadcaster.
The first stage of the plan to evacuate the residents of the Sakishima Islands to Kyushu Island will be prepared in the coming fiscal year, the cabinet secretary added.
The latest escalation around Taiwan took place in April after Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen met with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in the United States. Beijing responded by launching massive three-day military drills near the island in what it called a warning to Taiwanese separatists and foreign powers. In August and September, the Taiwanese armed forces reported multiple sightings of Chinese naval and air patrols in the island's vicinity. On September 18, the ministry reported a record high of 103 Chinese aircraft seen near the island in one day.
Taiwan has been governed independently from mainland China since 1949. Beijing regards the island as its province, while Taiwan maintains that it is an autonomous entity but stops short of declaring independence. Beijing opposes any official foreign contacts with Taipei and regards Chinese sovereignty over the island as indisputable.