Japan rejects ‘new militarism’, says China is rapidly arming
Key takeaways
- Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi accuses China of lacking military transparency and stresses the importance of dialogue for regional stability.
- China continues to increase its defence spending at a high level, Koizumi said on Sunday at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
- “China’s external approach and military activities are matters of serious concern for Japan and the international community at the same time,” he added.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi accuses China of lacking military transparency and stresses the importance of dialogue for regional stability.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Shinjiro Koizumi, Japan's defence minister, speaks at the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore on May 31, 2026 [Caroline Chia/Reuters]By AP and Reuters Published On 31 May 202631 May 2026Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has dismissed claims that Tokyo is pursuing “new militarism” and accused China of rapidly expanding its military with limited transparency.
China continues to increase its defence spending at a high level, Koizumi said on Sunday at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.