- Japan's latest defence white paper warns of China's growing ability to sustain military operations farther into the western Pacific Ocean, while pledging to bolster its own monitoring systems, strike capabilities and ammunition production.
- Released on Tuesday, the 610-page document cautions that Beijing is strengthening its aircraft carrier force as it steadily improves its capacity to operate in more distant seas and airspace.
- The white paper warns that the Russia-North Korea axis raises a regional security threat and cautions that growing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea could significantly strengthen Pyongyang's military capabilities.
- The white paper outlines Japan's military build-up plan citing threats from China, Russia, and North Korea.
- Beijing defence ministry spokesman Chen Xi rejects the report as 'replete with false narratives' and criticizes Japan's defence build-up as a 'vain attempt' to embed arms expansion into national institutions.
- The white paper stresses that investment in defence benefits the wider economy and people’s lives, aligning with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s broader use of strategic state spending to drive economic growth.
- Military experts expect Japan's new national security strategy to call for further spending increases aimed primarily at deterring China from starting a conflict with Taiwan.
- Tokyo has assembled a patchwork of tax increases, spending reforms, and one-off revenues to finance Japan’s largest military buildup since World War Two, pushing defence-related spending to 2% of gross domestic product.
Japan's latest defence white paper emphasizes the alarming expansion of China's military capabilities in the Pacific, warning that Beijing's advancements pose a significant threat to regional stability. The 610-page document, released on Tuesday, outlines Japan's commitment to bolster its military capabilities, including enhanced monitoring systems and strike capabilities.1210
The white paper highlights that China is strengthening its aircraft carrier force and improving its operational capacity in distant seas, raising concerns for Japan and its allies. In response, Japan plans to increase its defence spending to 2% of GDP, marking the largest military buildup since World War Two.
Japan's Ministry of Defense also cautions that growing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea could significantly enhance Pyongyang's military capabilities, further complicating the security landscape in Asia. The document links military investment to economic growth, suggesting that arms production can support broader prosperity.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's administration is preparing a new national security strategy, expected to call for increased spending to deter potential conflicts, particularly regarding Taiwan. The white paper states, “China’s military activities and other actions are a matter of serious concern to Japan and the international community”, underscoring the urgency of Japan's military enhancements.
Despite the ambitious plans, Takaichi faces challenges in financing the military expansion without straining Japan's public finances, as the government has already secured a record budget of 122.3 trillion yen for the upcoming fiscal year.
“Beijing defence ministry spokesman Chen Xi dismissed the 610-page report as "replete with false narratives" and accused Japan of "neo-militarism". The white paper also says the Ukraine war boosts Pyongyang and cautions over deeper Beijing-Moscow military ties.”
South China Morning Post
