The international community is facing its greatest trial since World War II and the globe has entered “a new era of crisis,” according to a report released Friday by Japan’s Ministry of Defense.
“Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is an unprecedented situation,” Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said in the annual white paper, a detailed report adopted by the nation’s Cabinet that day.
“Additionally, China is rapidly enhancing its military capability qualitatively and quantitatively, including nuclear and missile forces, while continuing and amplifying its unilateral changes to the status quo by force and such attempts in the East China Sea and the South China Sea,” he wrote.
“Furthermore, North Korea is rapidly advancing its nuclear and missile development, repeatedly launching missiles.”
The U.S. and Japan are strengthening their alliance as China continues to expand its military with the stated goal of occupying Taiwan, a U.S.-armed democracy the communists regard as a rebellious province.
North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into its eastern sea, South Korea’s military said Tuesday, adding to a recent streak of weapons testing that is apparently in protest of the U.S. sending ballistic- and guided-missile submarines to South Korea in a show of force.
Diplomatic efforts are Japan’s priority, Hamada wrote in the white paper. At the same time, Japan must make efforts to “defend our country by ourselves” and increase deterrence, he states. “In other words, we need to make the opponent think that ‘attacking Japan will not achieve its goals.’”
Japan’s constitution, which outlaws war as a means to settle international disputes, in noted in the white paper, which states that “adhering under the Constitution to the basic precepts of maintaining an exclusively defense-oriented policy and not becoming a military power that poses threats to other countries, Japan has efficiently built a highly effective, integrated defense force.”
In December, the nation’s cabinet adopted new national security and defense strategies, along with a defense build-up program.
“The Ministry of Defense (MOD) will follow through on them, including reinforcement of our defense production and technology bases,” Hamada said in the report.
The ministry’s white paper this year touched on themes in the 2022 edition, including China’s designs on Taiwan and an implacable Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Priorities include improving operational rates of existing military equipment, securing sufficient munitions and improving the resiliency of major defense facilities, according to the report.
The country plans to acquire counterstrike capabilities and unmanned assets and speed efforts to improve military personnel, the report said.
Hamada also noted discussions with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Richard Marles.
“We will continue to pursue various cooperation, including the joint development of the next-generation fighter aircraft by Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy,” Hamada wrote.
Source : stripes.com
