Japan better build up trust rather than its military

Japan is making final arrangements to earmark a record defense budget of ￥7.7 trillion ($54 billion) for fiscal 2024 as part of an intense arms buildup plan amid the "severe regional security environment", Japanese government sources told Kyodo News on Saturday.

The figure — far exceeding the previous high of ￥6.8 trillion in the initial budget for the current fiscal year through Marchincludes outlays for domestic long-range missiles, as part of a government plan to acquire capabilities to strike enemy territory.

That's a dangerous trend all regional countries should be wary of as Japan's national defense posture is changing from defensive to offensive. That this happened even before the country amends its pacifist Constitution indicates Japan has de facto rid itself of the constitutional restrictions on the development of its military forces.

It is working closely with the United States on the development of a space force and its cyberspace capabilities, and it has extended a welcome to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that is eager to expand its remit to Asia and hopes to turn Japan into its first bridgehead in the region.

Japan justifies its aggressive stance by citing "threats" from its neighbors.

But as China has reiterated on numerous occasions it is committed to peaceful development and adheres to a national defense policy that is defensive in nature.

It is irresponsible for the Japanese side to point fingers at China's internal affairs, such as the Taiwan question, the modernization of China's military and China's relations with other countries.

For historical reasons, Japan's military and security moves have been closely watched by its Asian neighbors and the international community. In recent years, Japan has greatly increased its military expenditure and sought to develop offensive weapons, which has triggered grave concerns among its neighbors and the international community.

Japan should earnestly respect the security concerns of its neighbors, profoundly reflect on its history of aggression, stop hyping up the "China threat" narrative and using it as a pretext for its own military buildup, and take substantive steps to earn the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community.