Japan defence minister denies militarism, criticises China's 'huge arsenal'

Japan's defence curate has rebutted Beijing's assertion that his state is engaging successful a "new militarism" - criticising China for its subject enlargement and deficiency of transparency.

Speaking connected the past time of a defence acme successful Singapore, Shinjiro Koizumi argued it was really China and its "huge arsenal" of weapons that was of "serious concern" to the planetary community.

His remarks were immoderate of the astir pointed yet from Tokyo successful effect to China's repeated disapproval of Japan's subject build-up nether Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

The 2 countries person a agelong past of tensions stemming from Japan's penetration of China during World War Two.

Last week, a time earlier the Singapore acme began, China's nationalist defence ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin warned "the grey rhino of a remilitarised Japan is gathering speed" and called connected the planetary assemblage to "work unneurotic to incorporate Japan's neo-militarism".

Japan has been steadily expanding its defence budget, mounting spending records for 12 consecutive years. Its latest budget, approved successful December by its cabinet, is for much than 9 trillion yen ($57bn, £42bn) - moving the state person to its people of spending 2% of its GDP connected the military.

The Japanese authorities has antecedently insisted it does not question warfare and lone wants to bolster its defences.

In his code connected Sunday astatine the Shangri-la Dialogue, Koizumi said it was "only natural" that each country, including Japan, updates its defences to conscionable caller challenges and to lend to bid successful the region.

He sought to reassure the roomful of officials from Asian countries, including respective that were invaded by Japan successful WW2, by promising Japan would proceed "with a precocious grade of transparency" and prosecute successful changeless dialog with different countries.

"What are we processing these capabilities for? And based connected what thinking? Japan volition determination guardant portion making a wide mentation to the planetary community," helium said.

Koizumi refuted the thought that Japan was engaged successful "new militarism" saying it was "nothing further from the truth".

"There's a state that has a immense arsenal of atomic weapons and strategical bombers," helium said, successful a notation to China. "Japan has neither of these weapons. And yet Japan is labelled [with] 'new militarism'. Isn't it strange?"

Following his speech, a typical of the Chinese subject asked if Japan would contented an apology to China, South Korea and South East Asian victims successful WW2.

Shinjiro Koizumi sidestepped the dialog participant's question portion taking purpose astatine China.

"China continues to summation its defence spending astatine a precocious level and is rapidly expanding its subject capabilities crossed a wide scope of areas without capable transparency. China's outer attack and subject activities are matters of superior interest for Japan and the planetary community," helium said.

He added that "Japan's doorway is ever open" for connection with China.

The contented of Japan apologising for wartime atrocities has agelong been a sticking constituent successful the 2 countries' relations, with China successful the past criticising immoderate of the apologies arsenic insufficient. Koizumi's father, Junichiro Koizumi, issued respective apologies erstwhile helium was premier minister.

Japan's PM Takaichi has taken large steps to boost defence since taking powerfulness successful October 2025. With its accrued subject budget, Japan plans to put successful caller surface-to-ship missiles and unmanned drones deployed connected onshore and underwater.

Japan has besides precocious relaxed rules that volition let it to sell lethal weapons to different countries in a determination that volition assistance physique up its defence concern base. It volition besides beryllium revising cardinal information documents by the extremity of this year.

Takaichi has besides pushed for revising Article 9 of Japan's constitution - a pacifist clause that renounces war.

Tensions with China person escalated, peaking successful November when Beijing took contented with Takaichi's proposition that Japan could respond with its ain self-defence unit if China attacked Taiwan.

Takaichi's moves person besides profoundly divided Japan.

Some enactment accrued defence against imaginable threats specified arsenic China portion others fearfulness it would escalate tensions.

There has besides been fierce statement implicit whether Japan is moving distant from its post-war pacifism, a halfway portion of the nationalist identity.

In caller months, anti-war protests person been held crossed the country, with immoderate swelling to go Japan's largest successful decades.