National Police Agency remote island response unit to deploy to Okinawa
The National Police Agency has decided to deploy a special unit in Okinawa Prefecture next year to deal with suspicious intrusions on remote islands such as the Senkaku Islands. This is the first full-fledged police unit for remote island response.
In 2012, in the Senkaku Islands of Okinawa Prefecture, Hong Kong activists were arrested for landing illegally, and territorial invasions by ships of Chinese authorities have been repeated in the surrounding waters.
For this reason, the National Police Agency has decided to create a new unit in the Okinawa Prefectural Police Department in the event of a need for specialized police officers to deal with remote islands near the border in case of emergency.
Assuming that the armed group will land illegally, it means that a highly trained member equipped with a submachine gun etc. will be deployed.
In the vicinity of the Senkaku Islands, the SDF and the Japan Coast Guard have already strengthened their security posture, but this is the first time that a dedicated police unit has been established.
The National Police Agency plans to increase the number of police officers and deploy new large helicopters at the Okinawa Prefectural Police, etc., and is included in the budget request for the next fiscal year.