Taiwan is exploring the possibility of receiving patients from remote Okinawan islands for treatment during emergencies and major disasters, Deputy Interior Minister Ma Shih-yuan said. He made the remarks at a seminar in Taipei on offshore island medical evacuation, attended by Okinawan officials. Taiwan and Japan could build a stronger cross-border emergency response network by sharing information, Ma added.
At a seminar in Taipei on offshore island medical evacuation, Taiwan's Deputy Interior Minister Ma Shih-yuan said the island is exploring options to treat patients from remote Okinawan islands, such as Ishigaki Island, during emergencies and major disasters.
Ma noted that Taiwan could contribute through "aerial support and medical transfer coordination," highlighting strong demand for inter-island patient transfers. He praised Japan's well-developed systems for airlifting critically ill patients as a potential model for Taiwan's outlying islands.
The event was attended by Masahiro Teruya, deputy director of Okinawa prefecture's fire and disaster management division, and fire officials from Ishigaki city. Ma emphasized Taiwan's efforts to strengthen disaster response capacity and its readiness to provide quick resources if the Nansei Islands, stretching from Kyushu toward Taiwan, face a major disaster.
Through information sharing, Taiwan and Japan aim to jointly develop a robust cross-border emergency response network.