Japan defence report sounds alarm on threats

Japan’s defence ministry said yesterday that it is alarmed at fresh threats from Russia and had growing worries about Taiwan, in an annual report that comes as Tokyo weighs significantly increasing military spending.

The document includes a chapter on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which it says risks sending the message “that an attempt to unilaterally change the status quo by force is acceptable”.

The paper surveys the global security landscape and specific threats to Japan, and says there was concern Russia could “further enhance and deepen relationships with China”.

It also warns Moscow may increasingly lean on its nuclear capacity as a deterrent, which could mean an uptick in activity around Japan, where Russian nuclear submarines are routinely active.

The defence paper also devotes space to Taiwan.

It includes the most detailed overview yet of the security situation on the island and notes “since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Taiwan has been working on further strengthening its self-defence efforts”.

This year’s paper was released amid growing expectations that Japan will significantly boost defence spending.

While the defence budget has been rising for years, Japan still has the lowest ratio of military expenditure to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) among Group of Seven countries.

The report continues to describe China as a “strong security concern”, adding that the risk posed by Beijing “is intensifying in recent years”.

It similarly repeats that North Korea poses continued “grave and imminent threats”, which it said were also “intensifying”.

China responded yesterday, saying that it firmly opposed Japan’s new defence white paper and had sent stern representations to Tokyo.

“Japan’s new defence white paper makes accusations and smears China’s defence policy, market economic development and legitimate maritime activities,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a daily news briefing.

Wang said the report “exaggerates the so-called China threat” and interferes in China’s internal affairs on Taiwan.

“China has expressed its strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to this, and has lodged stern representations to the Japanese side about this,” he said.

Wang noted that the defence white paper mentioned Tokyo’s plan to increase Japan’s defence budget and develop its counterstrike capabilities.