China's Ministry of National Defense spokesman criticized Japan on Friday for abandoning its commitment to peace and challenging the postwar international order through plans to increase defense spending and potentially ease restrictions on nuclear weapons.
Chen Xi, a spokesman for the ministry, urged Japan to reflect on its history of aggression and war crimes and draw lessons from the past. He said right-wing forces in Japan continue to fabricate a "China threat" narrative while distorting historical facts to portray Japan as a victim.
"At the same time, they are increasing defense spending, strengthening offensive and long-range strike capabilities and, worse still, seeking to progressively ease restrictions on nuclear weapons," Chen said.
According to reports, Japan plans to continue identifying China as its "greatest strategic challenge" in revisions to its three key security documents and to increase its defense spending to between 70 trillion yen and 80 trillion yen over the next five years.
Meanwhile, the government is considering revising its National Security Strategy to allow exceptions to the country's three nonnuclear principles, potentially allowing nuclear weapons to enter Japan in emergencies.
Chen said these moves betray Japan's commitment to peace and constitute a blatant challenge to the postwar international order and the authority of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
He called on the international community to remain vigilant and take countermeasures against Japan's push for remilitarization, uphold the international nuclear nonproliferation regime, and safeguard global security and peace.
