Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi on Sunday refuted accusations of “new militarism” by Tokyo and criticised China for rapidly increasing military capabilities without transparency, underlining deepening tensions between the two nations.
China continues to increase its defence spending at a high level, Koizumi said at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, adding: “China’s external approach and military activities are matters of serious concern for Japan and the international community at the same time.”
Refuting allegations that Japan was embarking on new militarism, he said: “Think about it. There’s a country that has a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons and strategic bombers. Japan has neither of such weapons, and yet Japan is labelled ‘new militarism’?”
“Since the end of the Second World war, Japan has consistently respected international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, and has made sincere efforts tomaintain and strengthen a free and open international order,” he added.
In May, China’s foreign ministry called on Asia-Pacific countries to be vigilant and “jointly resist the reckless actions of Japan’s neo-militarism”.