Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi used the final day of the Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore to forcefully rebut Beijing’s claims that Japan is engaging in a 'new militarism.' Koizumi argued that the international community should instead be concerned by China’s rapid military expansion and its 'huge arsenal' of weapons, which he characterized as lacking sufficient transparency.
These remarks represent some of the most direct rhetoric from Tokyo in response to persistent criticism from Beijing regarding Japan’s military build-up under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Just one day before the summit commenced, Chinese national defense ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin warned that the 'grey rhino of a remilitarised Japan is gathering speed,' and urged the international community to work together to contain the perceived threat.
Koizumi explicitly rejected the militarism label, calling it 'nothing further from the truth.' During his address, he noted the disparity in military capabilities, pointing out that while China maintains a vast arsenal of nuclear weapons and strategic bombers, Japan possesses neither. He questioned the logic of the accusations, stating, 'There’s a country that has a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons and strategic bombers... Japan has neither of these weapons. And yet Japan is labelled [with] "new militarism". Isn’t it strange?'
Japan has reached a milestone in its military posture, having increased its defense budget for 12 consecutive years. The cabinet approved a budget in December exceeding 9 trillion yen ($57 billion), a move that brings the nation closer to its target of allocating 2% of its GDP to defense spending. Koizumi maintained that these updates are 'only natural' for any country seeking to meet modern security challenges and contribute to regional peace.
To address concerns from Asian neighbors—many of whom were occupied by Japan during World War II—Koizumi promised that Tokyo would proceed with a 'high degree of transparency.' He pledged that the government would engage in constant dialogue with other nations to explain the reasoning behind its developing capabilities. 'What are we developing these capabilities for? And based on what thinking? Japan will move forward while making a clear explanation to the international community,' Koizumi said.
Despite the historical tensions between the two nations, the Japanese government has consistently insisted that its military expansion is strictly defensive in nature. Koizumi’s speech served as a formal attempt to reassure regional officials that Tokyo’s policy shift is not a return to the militarism of the past, but a necessary response to the current geopolitical landscape.
