Japan defence minister rebuffs claims of ‘new militarism’ levelled by China

Japan’s defence minister took a veiled swipe at China on Sunday, pledging to keep strengthening the military despite Beijing’s criticism of Tokyo’s increasingly muscular security stance. Under the prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, Japan has quickened its pivot to a more proactive defence policy, further shaking off – with US encouragement – its pacifist outlook in place since the end of the second world war.

The change has drawn frequent rebukes from Beijing, which has accused Tokyo of following a reckless policy of "new militarism" that could destabilise the region. Shinjiro Koizumi hit back on Sunday, saying "nothing could be further from the truth." "Think about it.

There is a country that has a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons and strategic bombers," Koizumi said at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. "Japan has neither of such weapons. And yet, Japan is labelled (as) 'new militarism'. Isn’t it strange?" he said, without mentioning China by name.

Japan, Singapore

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