US Ambassador Emanuel visited Yonaguni Island, the westernmost Japanese island, signaling a potential US military "southwest shift" towards China amid increasing security cooperation with Japan.

U.S. Ambassador Rahm Emanuel visited Japan's Yonaguni island, the westernmost island, using the civilian airport for the first time since Okinawa Prefecture's reversion to Japan in 1972. The visit is seen as a potential foothold for the U.S. military's "southwest shift" towards China, amid increasing security cooperation between Japan and the U.S. in preparation for a possible contingency in Taiwan.