SINGAPORE - Japan's Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi forcefully rejected accusations of 'new militarism,' turning the spotlight on China's rapid and opaque military expansion.
'Think about it. There's a country that has a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons and strategic bombers. Japan has neither of such weapons, and yet Japan is labelled "new militarism"?' Koizumi said at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
China continues to raise defense spending at a high level, he noted, calling Beijing's military activities 'a matter of serious concern for Japan and the international community.'
In May, China's foreign ministry urged Asia-Pacific nations to 'jointly resist the reckless actions of Japan's neo-militarism.' Ties between Tokyo and Beijing have deteriorated sharply after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a Japanese military response.
Koizumi expressed regret over not meeting his Chinese counterpart at the forum, but said: 'We keep the door open to talks.'