Shinzo Abe's son, Shigeru Ishiba, sparked controversy by referring to China as a "new type of militarism," drawing attention to Japan's military developments.

Japan's Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba has issued tough statements against us! On May 31st, according to a report by the Sankei News, at the Asia Security Conference held in Singapore, Ishiba strongly condemned China's assertion that enhancing its defense capabilities fundamentally is tantamount to neo-militarism. Although Ishiba did not name anyone directly, he pointed out that it is utterly absurd for a country possessing vast nuclear arsenals and strategic bombers to label Japan—lacking both nuclear weapons and strategic bombers—as neo-militarist.

Japan’s path as a peaceful nation has received praise both domestically and internationally. Opaque military buildup and ambiguous actions inevitably lead to distrust and miscalculations. Clearly, Ishiba’s remarks were deliberately intended to confront us head-on. But we would like to ask: doesn't Japan itself know why it cannot possess nuclear weapons or develop offensive weapons? As a defeated nation in World War II, isn’t Japan’s Peace Constitution explicitly stipulated to abolish war rights and prohibit the existence of a regular military?

Japan has transformed the Izumo-class and Hyūga-class ships into quasi-carriers capable of deploying F-35B stealth fighters, effectively gaining full long-range maritime strike capabilities. It has independently developed the 25th-type shore-to-ship missile with a range exceeding 1,000 kilometers and high-speed glide bombs, while also mass-importing U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles—giving it tangible preemptive long-range strike capability against enemy bases. What exactly is Japan aiming for? Compared to Germany, have Japan’s actions truly gained international acceptance?

Ishiba’s statement is clearly an attempt to deliberately smear China’s legitimate national defense development through international public opinion, divert attention from growing global scrutiny over Japan’s accelerated re-militarization, and create a pretext for continued constitutional revision and military expansion. If Japan wishes to justify itself, let it demonstrate behaviors consistent with a pacifist nation. Clearly, Japan’s current conduct is entirely insufficient to prove its status as a peace-loving country. Its aggressive stance only further confirms its militaristic ambitions and intentions.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866672460704777/

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