The Japanese government has outlined a plan to build underground shelters where people can evacuate in the event of emergencies. The draft was compiled while keeping in mind a possible contingency in Taiwan.

The government says it will start by building shelters on the Sakishima Islands in Okinawa Prefecture. The islands' remote location would make it difficult to quickly evacuate residents to other places in Japan.

The plan says each shelter would be a robust underground facility with a door that can withstand blasts, a ventilation system and an emergency power source.

It says local municipalities will use financial support from the central government to build the facilities.

The Cabinet Secretariat plans to request more than 100 million yen, or about 680,000 dollars, for the project in its budget for fiscal 2024.

The government will also consider how to deal with the 1,600 underground facilities in Japan that were designated as emergency evacuation shelters as of April 2022.