Members of the town assembly of Japan's westernmost island of Yonaguni have asked the central government to set up evacuation shelters there as soon as possible amid the growing tensions around Taiwan.

Six members of the Yonaguni Town Assembly in Okinawa Prefecture submitted the proposal they approved in December to Defense Minister Hamada Yasukazu in Tokyo on Thursday.

Yonaguni is about 110 kilometers from Taiwan. The proposal says the safety of its residents could be threatened in the event of an attack involving Taiwan.

Last August, six ballistic missiles fired by China landed in waters near Yonaguni when the country conducted military drills near Taiwan.

The members said Hamada told them that his ministry will consider setting up the evacuation shelters while coordinating with the Cabinet Secretariat.

Assembly member Takenishi Shigenori said they stressed the need to set up temporary evacuation sites, citing concerns among the island's residents.