Tokusaburo Tamazawa, the former head of Japan's Defense Agency as well as a legislator from the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), said that Japan must defend its islands against military threats from the south. He also said that central and local governments would consult with one another to decide the matter of setting up a military base either on Shimoji island or Yonaguni island.

From Tamazawa's point of view, China has been aggressive in strengthening its military power in recent years because it intends to be in an advantageous position at the time of any military conflict, thereby bringing Taiwan under control and displacing U.S. influence.

Tamazawa thinks that Japan's Self Defense Forces have been well armed with military equipment but lack the capability to take prompt action. He said, therefore, that maneuverability should be improved in the military area. Also, there is insufficient integrated defense planning among the army, the navy and the air force. There is no organic unity between strategic planning and tactical operations. Thus, the Japanese government has decided to increase Joint Chiefs of Staff positions and has begun discussing bills related to this issue.

Tamazawa, who now belongs to the LDP's Seiwa-kai group, was not only former head of the defense agency but also of the agriculture, forestry and fishery ministry. He is chairman of a parliamentary committee which is in charge of dealing with emergencies. He is influential in the area of security issues. He is known as an important politician who recognizes the strategic importance of beefing up the country's defense capability for islands in the south. The Senkaku islands are located 500 kilometers away from the main Okinawa islands and not always covered by the U.S. military, so that it takes time to dispatch forces at a time of emergency.

Tamazawa thought that Hokkaido was the most important strategic defense area during the cold war as it was near to the then Soviet Union, currently Russia. However, the cold war is over and the relationship with Moscow is good. Thus the potential threat should be assumed as being one coming from the south.

He thinks that China would probably take the Senkaku islands if military conflict occurs in the Taiwan Strait. It was not an accident that a Chinese submarine made its way into Japanese territorial waters. It was an action which reflected a purpose of the Chinese government. Thus, it is quite important that the new defense plan includes the enhancement of Japanese naval power and the defense capability of islands near Okinawa. The idea of using Shimoji island as a military airfield comes from that strategic thinking.

Washington immediately found the entry of the Chinese submarine into Japanese waters. That was the result of well-prepared military drills between Tokyo and Washington. China tried to test how fast Japan and the U.S. could respond to such situations. China supposedly has three purposes: it intends to take preemptive action against Vietnam and the Philippines over the issue of offshore oil near the Spratly Islands, it intends to control Taiwan, and it intends to hold U.S. military movement in check and, furthermore, to replace the U.S. in the Southeast Asian region.

Tamazawa thinks that Japan cannot cooperate on security issues with Taipei as Tokyo sticks to the one-China principle. However, if Beijing took over Taiwan, Washington would not ignore the Chinese action and Tokyo would also be opposed to such an action. When military conflicts occurred in the Korean peninsula or the area near Taiwan, the U.S. would take counteraction against its enemies and Japan would extend support to Washington.

Tamazawa, who is pro-Taiwan, says that the defense of the waters surrounding Taiwan and those nearby is closely linked to the crucial national interests of the countries located in the region. The U.S. also has national interests in this area, meaning that Washington would protect it, he said.