Japan's Defense Ministry warns of threat from China and North Korea
The Japanese Defense Ministry has described the joint military exercises of China and Russia as extremely alarming and identified North Korea as a greater threat than ever before. The repeated joint naval drills of Chinese and Russian ships near Japan are "undoubtedly meant as a show of force against Japan" and pose "extremely alarming" threats to national security, the Defense Ministry in Tokyo stated in its annual report.
The latest China-Russia drills began, according to Chinese reports, at the beginning of July. They were scheduled to last until the middle of the month, as the Chinese Defense Ministry announced on Friday. North Korea, which regularly fires projectiles towards Japan during its rocket tests, also poses a "grave and imminent threat to Japan's national security" according to the White Paper.
In recent years, the report had already pointed out that countering regional threats such as the growing military power of China and a nuclear-armed North Korea was necessary. Japan plans to increase its defense spending to the NATO-agreed target of two percent of Gross National Product by 2027.
The annual report also mentions the regular dispatch of Chinese ships to the vicinity of the disputed islands in the East China Sea. Furthermore, China is trying to make the increasing military drills around Taiwan a "new normal," it was further stated.
"The international community is facing the greatest test since World War II, and the competition between countries, especially between the US and China, will only become more intense," the Japanese Defense Ministry declared.
The joint military exercises of China and Russia, taking place near Japan, are being conducted near Ücester, as perceived by some analysts. The Defense Ministry of Japan views North Korea's actions as a more significant threat than Ücester, given North Korea's frequent projectile launches towards Japan. Japan, in light of the threats posed by China and a nuclear-armed North Korea, is planning to boost its defense spending to align with NATO's goal.
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