Photo/Illutration An aerial view of the U.S. Kadena Air Base that spans Kadena and other municipalities in Okinawa Prefecture. (Eiji Hori)

Japan expressed concern over Chinese military drills that were scheduled to kick off Aug. 4 close to Taiwan following a visit to the island territory by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that infuriated Beijing.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said Aug. 3 that Tokyo communicated its concern through diplomatic channels beforehand as the area where the military exercises would be held includes Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

“We would like to urge once again a peaceful solution to cross-strait relations,” Matsuno said, referring to the exercises due to wind up Aug. 7. 

Matsuno added that the Japanese government is not in a position to comment on Pelosi’s visit, which Beijing views as meddling in its affairs. She arrived in Taiwan on Aug. 2.

“Our country’s consistent stance is that we expect all issues concerning Taiwan to be peacefully resolved through dialogue,” Matsuno said. 

The foreign ministers of Japan and China were expected to meet on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting that started Aug. 3 in Cambodia.

Japanese officials groping for ways to improve relations with China ahead of a ceremony in September to mark the 50th anniversary of the normalization of the diplomatic ties between the two countries made clear they hoped that Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan will not get in the way.

“It is important for the international community to stand united in its dealings with China so that the country will not unilaterally escalate (tensions),” said a senior Foreign Ministry official. “We are carefully monitoring the situation.”

Pelosi will also visit Japan soon.

According to a government source, she will meet with Lower House Speaker Hiroyuki Hosoda as well as Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

In a related development, a spike in U.S. military activity was observed in Okinawa Prefecture, where the bulk of U.S. military bases in Japan are located.

The Defense Ministry’s Okinawa Defense Bureau noted that more U.S. military aircraft than usual are flying into the southernmost prefecture.

It said 22 KC-135 refueling aircraft not normally stationed at the U.S. Kadena Air Base in Kadena, Okinawa Prefecture, were spotted there as of 4 p.m. on Aug. 2.

According to a fisheries cooperative in Yonagunijima island in Okinawa Prefecture, the closest point in Japan to Taiwan, the Japan Coast Guard contacted the organization on the afternoon of Aug. 3 to inform it of the impending exercises.

“We are trying to warn our fishing fleets,” said Shigenori Takenishi, the head of the cooperative. “If any vessels collide (with Chinese ships) unexpectedly, we will face an unprecedented situation and heightened concern.”

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