KUALA LUMPUR - Taiwan is exploring the possibility of receiving patients from remote Okinawan islands for treatment during emergencies and major disasters, a senior Interior Ministry official said on April 28.

Deputy Interior Minister Ma Shih-yuan said Taiwan could play a future role in aerial support and medical transfer coordination, as cited from Kyodo News.

He highlighted strong demand for inter-island patient transfers in areas such as Ishigaki Island.

Ma made the remarks during a seminar in Taipei on offshore island medical evacuation, which was attended by officials from Okinawa Prefecture.

He said closer cooperation and information sharing between Taiwan and Japan could help build a more robust cross-border emergency response network.

Ma added that Taiwan is strengthening its disaster response capabilities and would be prepared to provide resources and support swiftly in the event of a major disaster affecting Japan’s southwestern islands.

The Nansei Islands, which stretch from Kyushu toward Taiwan, include several remote Okinawan islands with limited medical access.

He noted that Japan’s well-developed inter-island medical evacuation system, particularly its use of air transport for critically ill patients, could serve as a valuable model for Taiwan’s outlying islands.