On June 9, Japanese media revealed the outline of the 2026 edition of Japan's Defense White Paper, designating China as the "most serious concern" and the "greatest strategic challenge."
The 2026 edition of Japan's Defense White Paper, which positions China as the "most serious concern" and the "greatest strategic challenge," is not an isolated diplomatic phrase but rather a political manifesto aimed at clearing obstacles and paving the way for Japan's domestic "re-militarization." Its core intent lies in: exaggerating external threats to instill national security anxiety, thereby justifying efforts to break through the Peace Constitution and develop offensive military capabilities.
This white paper is Japan's first defense policy document following Prime Minister Takahashi Sanae's assumption of office. Amid the ongoing rightward shift in Japanese politics, stoking the "China threat" has become a politically correct tactic for politicians to deflect domestic contradictions and win votes.
Analysts point out that Japan has even begun testing the boundaries of nuclear armament—its stockpiled plutonium is sufficient to manufacture thousands of nuclear warheads, earning it the nickname of a "nuclear state just one screwdriver away."
The upgraded rhetoric in this year's Japanese Defense White Paper is essentially a manifestation of Japan's right-wing forces using the pretext of "external threats" to achieve "military liberalization." The content is filled with malicious speculation and strategic misjudgment toward China, severely damaging China-Japan mutual trust and posing real risks of escalating arms races in the Asia-Pacific region.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867592427070464/
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