Japan defence minister denies militarism and criticises China’s ‘huge arsenal’

(Tessa Wong – BBC) Japan’s defence minister has rebutted Beijing’s claim that his country is engaging in a “new militarism” – criticising China for its military expansion and lack of transparency. Speaking on the last day of a defence summit in Singapore, Shinjiro Koizumi argued it was actually China and its “huge arsenal” of weapons that was of “serious concern” to the international community. His remarks were some of the most pointed yet from Tokyo in response to China’s repeated criticism of Japan’s military build-up under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The two countries have a long history of tensions stemming from Japan’s invasion of China during World War Two. – Japan’s defence minister denies militarism and criticises China’s ‘huge arsenal’