TOKYO -- Candidates vying to become Japan's next prime minister discussed national security issues in Okinawa on Tuesday, with former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba proposing for U.S. military bases in the prefecture to be managed jointly with Japanese forces.
The discussion comes as China ramps up military pressure on Taiwan and expands its maritime presence in the East and South China seas. Japan has responded by boosting island defenses, establishing new hubs for the Self-Defense Forces on Okinawa's Yonaguni, Miyako and Ishigaki islands since 2016.
.jpg?width=700&fit=cover&gravity=faces&dpr=2&quality=medium&source=nar-cms&format=auto&height=394)
