Beijing (ANTARA) - The Chinese government has stated that Japanese\nDefence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi\u2019s explanations regarding the country\u2019s\ndefence modernisation programme are baseless and unreliable.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe statement from the Japanese official is entirely without\nfoundation. The statement lacks authority in the face of history, law,\nfacts, and figures,\u201d said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian\nduring a press conference in Beijing on Monday (1\/6).<\/p>\n
Lin Jian added that \u201cit is impossible for such statements to help\nJapan gain the trust of its neighbouring countries in Asia and the\ninternational community.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore last week,\nJapanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi defended Japan\u2019s defence\nmodernisation programme, which includes plans to revise key national\nsecurity documents by the end of this year, as well as investments in\nartificial intelligence, unmanned systems, cyber capabilities, and space\ntechnology.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a country that possesses a large number of nuclear weapons\nand strategic bombers. Japan does not possess such weapons. Yet, Japan\nis being labelled as a new militarism. Is that not strange?\u201d said\nKoizumi, seemingly referring to China\u2019s criticism of Japan.<\/p>\n
Koizumi also pledged to strengthen his country\u2019s defence capabilities\nand security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, while rejecting\nChina\u2019s criticism that these steps constitute a form of \u201cnew\nmilitarism.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lin Jian noted that Japan\u2019s latest defence budget has exceeded nine\ntrillion yen, the highest for 14 consecutive years since World War\nII.<\/p>\n
\u201cDefence expenditure per capita has reached three times that of\nChina, and total defence spending has surged to two per cent of GDP,\nwith plans to increase further to 3.5 per cent,\u201d Lin Jian stated.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, orders for military equipment from the Japanese Ministry\nof Defence have tripled over the last five years.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince the current administration took power, they have accelerated\nthe deployment of medium- and long-range missiles, loosened restrictions\non the export of lethal weapons, and pushed for the revision of the\nConstitution and three security documents,\u201d said Lin $<\/p>\n
{Jian}$.<\/p>\n
By doing so, Japan is attempting to further violate international and\ndomestic laws and challenge the post-war international order, he said,\nassessing that Defence Minister Koizumi is deliberately avoiding Japan\u2019s\nhistorical crimes and the facts of Japan\u2019s increasing military\nbudget.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is even attempting to shift blame and create confusion. Is this a\nsign of discomfort, or an attempt to hide Japan\u2019s own military\nexpansionist ambitions? In such a state, Japan\u2019s claim that they seek\ndialogue is merely a performance and shows no sincerity at all,\u201d Lin\nJian added.<\/p>\n
Japan, according to Lin Jian, has been pursuing re-militarisation at\nfull speed, engaging in more intensive interactions with military\norganisations from outside the region, expanding the scope of the Japan\nSelf-Defence Forces\u2019 activities, and building a combat-ready operational\nsystem.<\/p>\n
\u201cJapan describes itself as a \u2018peace-loving nation\u2019, but its actions\nsuggest otherwise. The emergence of malicious neo-militarism in Japan\nthreatens regional peace and stability. The international community must\nremain vigilant and take decisive countermeasures,\u201d Lin Jian stated.<\/p>\n
Regarding regional security, at the Shangri-La Dialogue security\nforum, Defence Minister Koizumi stated that the regional security\nenvironment is becoming increasingly challenging amidst economic and\nmilitary pressures, alongside rising competition in cyber, space, and\ninformation sectors.<\/p>\n
He also emphasised that Japan\u2019s reputation as a peace-loving nation\nsince the end of World War II would not be tarnished by what he called\nfalse accusations.<\/p>\n
Koizumi warned again that non-transparent military development and\nactions without clear objectives would lead to mistrust and\nmiscalculation. He added that Japan would carry out its defence updates\nwith a \u201chigh level of transparency.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the same time, Koizumi asserted that Tokyo remains committed to\ndialogue with Beijing, despite the ongoing differences in views between\nthe two neighbouring nations.<\/p>\n
Koizumi stated that Japan would take a larger role in defence\nequipment and technology cooperation following the loosening of weapons\nexport restrictions last April.<\/p>\n
\u201cDivision weakens deterrence. Unity strengthens deterrence,\u201d said\nKoizumi.<\/p>\n
Relations between Tokyo and Beijing have been tense since 7 November\n2025, when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that the use of\nmilitary force by China against Taiwan could \u201ccreate a situation that\nthreatens the very survival of Japan,\u201d which continues to strain\nChina-Japan relations.<\/p>\n
Koizumi expressed his disappointment at not having the opportunity to\nmeet Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun at the forum.<\/p>\n
Minister Dong did not attend the Shangri-La Dialogue for the second\nconsecutive time, while China was represented by Meng Xiangqing, a\nprofessor at the National Defence University.<\/p>\n
The Chinese delegation also included members of the People\u2019s\nLiberation Army (PLA) from the National Defence University, the PLA\nAcademy of Military Sciences, and the PLA Navy.<\/p>\n
China typically sends high-ranking officials to the event, which has\nbeen held since 2007. The Chinese Defence Minister attended meetings in\n2011, 2019, 2022, and 2024, while the Shangri-La Dialogue was suspended\nin 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/china-claims-japans-remarks-on-defence-modernisation-are-baseless-1780882818", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }