‘China a bigger threat to Japan than North Korea’

China’s growing military might has replaced North Korean belligerence as the main security threat to Japan, Tokyo’s annual defence review indicated on Thursday, despite signs that Pyongyang could have nucleartipped ballistic missiles.

The document’s security assessment on China comes after a section on Japan’s ally, the United States, the first time Beijing has achieved second place in the Defence White Paper and pushing North Korea into third.

Russia, deemed by Japan as its primary threat during the Cold War, was in fourth place.

“It is a reflection of the fact that only United States and China can project their influence globally,” a Defence Ministry official said.

Japan has raised defence spending by a tenth over the past seven years to counter military advances by Beijing and Pyongyang, including defences against North Korean missiles which may carry nuclear warheads, the paper said.

To stay ahead of China’s modernising military, Japan is buying US-made stealth fighters and other advanced weapons.

In its latest budget request, Japan’s military asked for 115.6 billion yen (RM4.6 billion) to buy nine Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighters.