Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:
Japan, U.S. draw up plan for any Taiwan emergency -Kyodo
Thu, December 23, 2021, 3:29 AM
TOKYO (Reuters) -Japanese and U.S. armed forces have drawn
up a draft plan for a joint operation for a possible Taiwan emergency, Japan's
Kyodo news agency said on Thursday, citing unnamed Japanese government sources,
amid increased tensions between the island and China.
China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own "sacred" territory and in the past two years has stepped up military and diplomatic pressure to assert its sovereignty claims, fuelling anger in Taipei and deep concern in Washington.
Taiwan's government says it wants peace, but will defend itself if needed.
Under the plan, the U.S. Marine Corps will set up temporary bases on the Nansei island chain stretching from Kyushu, one of the four main islands of Japan, to Taiwan, at the initial stage of a Taiwan emergency, and will deploy troops, Kyodo said.
Japanese armed forces will provide logistical support in such areas as ammunition and fuel supplies, it said.
Japan, former colonial ruler of Taiwan, and the United States would likely reach an agreement to start formulating an official plan at a "2+2" meeting of foreign and defense ministers early next year, the news agency said.
Japanese defense ministry officials were not immediately available for comment.
In October, Japan's government signaled a more assertive position on China's aggressive posture towards self-ruled Taiwan, suggesting it would consider options and prepare for "various scenarios", while reaffirming close U.S. ties.
Earlier this month, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that Japan and the United States could not stand by if China attacked Taiwan.
U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, have long said that given the tens of thousands of troops the U.S. has in Japan and its proximity to Taiwan, Japan would likely have to play an important role in any Taiwan emergency.
Japan is host to major U.S. military bases, including on the southern island of Okinawa, a short flight from Taiwan, which would be crucial for any U.S. support during a Chinese attack.
China views democratic Taiwan as a wayward province, awaiting the day the island can be brought under its control - peacefully or militarily - with no right to state-to-state relations.
The United States, like most countries in the world, recognizes China over Taiwan, in line with Beijing's "one China" policy. But Washington is the island's biggest arms supplier and ally and is obliged by law to help it defend itself.
(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Alison Williams, Nick Macfie and Dan Grebler)
Translation
東京（路透社）- 在台灣與中國之間的緊張局勢加在加劇之際, 日本共同社週四援引未具名的日本政府消息人士的話稱，日本和美國武裝部隊已經制定了一項聯合行動計劃草案，以應對可能出現的台灣緊急情況。
中國聲稱由民主方式治理的台灣是自己的“神聖”領土，並在過去兩年加大了軍事和外交壓力，以維護其聲稱的主權主張，激起台北的憤怒和華盛頓的深切關注。
台灣政府表示，它想要和平，但在必要時會自衛。
共同社稱，根據該計劃，美國海軍陸戰隊將在台灣緊急狀態初期，在從日本四大島嶼之一的九州到台灣的南西島鏈上設立臨時基地，並將部署軍隊。
它說, 日本武裝部隊將在彈藥和燃料供應等領域提供後勤支持。
該通訊社稱，台灣前殖民統治者日本和美國可能會在明年初舉行的“2+2”外長和防長會議上達成協議，開始製定官方計劃。
現無法立即聯繫到日本防衛省官員發表評論。
在 10 月，日本政府對中國向自治台灣的侵略姿態表明了更自信的立場，暗示它將考慮各種選擇並為“各種情況”做好準備，同時重申與美國的密切關係。
本月早些時候，日本前首相安倍晉三表示，如果中國襲擊台灣，日本和美國不能袖手旁觀。
不願透露姓名的美國官員長期以來一直表示，鑑於美國在日本擁有數万名士兵，而且靠近台灣，日本可能不得不在任何台灣緊急情況中發揮重要作用。
日本是美國主要軍事基地的所在地，包括位於南部島嶼沖繩島，距離台灣只有很短的航程，這對中國發動襲擊期間, 給美國提供任何支持都至關重要。
中國將民主的台灣視為一個任性的省份, 它無權建立國家間的關係, 並等待和平或地軍事地控制該島的那一天 。
與世界上大多數國家一樣，美國在台灣承認中國，符合北京的“一個中國”政策。但華盛頓是島上最大的武器供應商和盟友，法律有義務幫助它自衛。
So, Japanese and U.S.
armed forces have drawn up a draft plan for a joint operation for a possible
Taiwan emergency. Under the plan, the U.S. Marine Corps will set up temporary bases
on the Nansei island chain stretching from Kyushu to Taiwan at the initial
stage of a Taiwan emergency.
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