Japan has issued a stark warning about China's escalating military activities, labeling them the greatest strategic threat in the region, according to the Defense Ministry’s annual report released Tuesday. From intensified naval operations near Japan’s southwestern islands to joint exercises with Russia, China’s actions are raising alarm bells in Tokyo.
The report highlights a dramatic increase in Chinese warships navigating waters near Japan, with passages near the island of Yonaguni tripling over the past three years. This comes amid growing tensions over Taiwan, which China claims as its own and has threatened to annex by force. Japan, bracing for potential conflict, has ramped up its own military presence in the region, deploying long-range cruise missiles and testing new surface-to-ship missiles.
Adding to the unease, Japan reported multiple close encounters with Chinese fighter jets, accusing them of dangerously approaching Japanese reconnaissance planes. Beijing countered, claiming Japan was spying near its airspace. The report also noted unprecedented Chinese aircraft carrier operations in the Pacific, signaling Beijing’s intent to project power far beyond its shores.
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The ministry pointed to two significant incidents last year: a Chinese warplane briefly violated Japanese airspace near Nagasaki, and a Chinese aircraft carrier entered a zone just outside Japan’s territorial waters in the Nansei island chain. These moves, coupled with China’s sophisticated bomber missions, underscore its growing military ambition.
Japan also expressed concern over North Korea’s advancing missile technology, including solid-fuel ICBMs capable of striking the U.S. mainland, and Russia’s increasing military cooperation with China, which included a Russian airspace violation in September.
As U.S. President Donald Trump emphasizes American economic and security priorities, Japan faces pressure to take a larger role in maintaining regional stability. With the Indo-Pacific at a crossroads, the report warns that these security challenges could intensify, placing Japan at the heart of a volatile geopolitical landscape.
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