Outspoken Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso prompted discontent from Japan's neighbors on Tuesday with bold remarks regarding politicians' sensitive visits to the Yasukuni Shrine and about the German Nazi regime.
Three Chinese women onced serve as so-called "comfort women" joined with local supporters to request on Tuesday disciplinary action against Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto.
The Japanese consulate-general's pressure on South California Glendale City officials to stop the installation of a statue on public land dedicated to World War II-era Korean "comfort women" has some Asian Americans riled.
Tokyo is planning to boost surveillance in waters around the Diaoyu Islands and acquire the ability to launch pre-emptive military strikes in a defense policy update that may set off alarm bells in China. 
Diaoyu Islands dispute
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is unlikely to visit the controversial war-linked Yasukuni Shrine in the "memorial day for the end of the war" on August 15, reported local media on Thursday.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to make no concessions on the territorial dispute with China during a rare visit to two remote southwestern islands. Japan warned against provocative acts on Diaoyu Comment: What do you think of China-Japan ties?
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman on Wednesday urged Japan to stop all provocative words and acts detrimental to China's sovereign rights.
China's military is strongly discontented with and firmly opposed to a recent Japanese defense report and has lodged a solemn representation to the Japanese side.
Preparations for attempted "invasions" by other countries are on Japan's radar though its 2013 defense white paper admits the possibility is remote.
Japan highlighted China as a major security threat in its latest defense white paper released on Tuesday, using harsher language than in previous papers.
Japanese defense report worrisome
FM spokeswoman Hua Chunying Tuesday described Japan's annual defense report as an attempt to play up the "China threat," adding that Japan's efforts to bolster its military are worrisome. Japan highlights China as 'security threat'
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman slammed an overview of Japan's Defense Ministry's white paper for 2013, urging the country to do more to facilitate regional peace and stability.
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