Japan rejects China-Russia criticism over defence shift

Japan rejects China-Russia criticism over defence shift

Japan on Thursday pushed back against criticism from China and Russia over what they called Tokyo’s “remilitarisation,” describing the claims as baseless.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a joint statement on Wednesday that Japan is speeding up military expansion and putting regional peace at risk.
Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki responded by urging China to change its actions, especially its growing military activities, which Tokyo views as a serious concern for the international community. He also called on Russia to end its war in Ukraine.

Tensions between Japan and China have worsened since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said last year that any Chinese military move against Taiwan could threaten Japan’s survival and justify collective self-defence measures.

China has since continued to oppose Japan’s efforts to strengthen its military capabilities.

Last month, Japan removed long-standing limits on military equipment exports, marking a major shift from its postwar pacifist policy. The change could allow Tokyo to export lethal weapons and expand its defence industry.

According to Reuters, countries from Poland to the Philippines have shown interest in Japanese weapons as global conflicts and uncertainty over US security commitments increase demand for arms.

Japan plans to officially adopt the new export rules later this month. Despite staying away from the global arms market for decades, the country still spends around $60 billion annually on defence and produces advanced military equipment, including submarines and fighter jets.