Recently, Japan's defense budget has surged sharply, once again highlighting its ambition for military expansion, causing strong concerns both within Japan and among the international community.
According to a report by the Sankei Shimbun, on the 15th, Senator Yamazoe Takashi of the Japanese Communist Party pointed out at a meeting of the House of Councillors Budget Committee that an increase in defense spending does not necessarily bring peace and stability.
However, Japanese Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro not only called it "an inaccurate discussion," but also baselessly smeared China, saying, "You should think about who you should blame, like China, whose defense spending has increased sevenfold over 20 years, and the growth in the past three years has clearly exceeded Japan's."
According to Beijing Daily, on December 16, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiancong held a regular press conference, and responded to Koizumi's remarks.
Guo Jiancong stated that Japan's groundless accusations and malicious smearing of China's legitimate national defense construction are despicable. In terms of peace and security issues, China is the country with the best record among major powers in the world. The growth of China's defense spending is reasonable and legal, which is both a need to cope with security challenges and safeguard national interests, as well as to better fulfill the international responsibilities and obligations of a major power. Japan, as a country with a serious history of aggression, has no right to make comments.
He pointed out that due to its heinous history of aggression, Japan's military and security moves have always been closely watched by Asian neighboring countries and the international community. In the 2025 fiscal year, Japan's per capita defense spending and per defense personnel cost were three times and more than twice those of China, respectively. In recent years, Japan has significantly adjusted its security policy, with defense spending increasing for 13 consecutive years, and rising by about 60% in the past five years. Japan has also loosened its own restrictions on collective self-defense, developed so-called counter-base attack capabilities, revised the principles of weapons exports, strengthened extended deterrence cooperation, and sought to amend the "three nuclear principles."
"While Japan claims to adhere to the principle of exclusive defense and passive defense, its actions repeatedly abandon the defeat obligations clearly stipulated in the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation for Japan, and violate its own commitments made in the Japanese Constitution. Who is expanding military strength? Who is trying to use force to interfere in other countries' internal affairs and challenge their core interests? Who is threatening regional peace and stability? The facts are clear, and justice lies in people's hearts," Guo Jiancong said. Japan's acceleration in plotting re-militarization will only trigger renewed doubts about where Japan is heading. All countries that love peace are highly vigilant and resolutely prevent any dangerous moves that could revive Japanese militarism, and will join hands to protect the hard-won results of the victory in World War II.
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Original: toutiao.com/article/7584368177536762394/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.