International community must be highly vigilant to Japan's neo-militarism: FM
(ECNS) -- Japan's neo-militarism has already reared its head and the international community must be highly vigilant and firmly oppose it, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks at a press conference in response to Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, who advocates unrestricted discussions on nuclear-related policies.
Lin said it is extremely rare, provocative and dangerous after WWII for a sitting Japanese defense chief to make such remarks, adding that the ruling Japanese authorities' ambition to break away from the Three Non-Nuclear Principles and challenge the post-WWII international order has been fully exposed.
He noted that the incumbent leader of Japan has advocated revising the principles as a member of the Diet, adding that after taking office, she has accelerated Japan's remilitarization and taken a string of dangerous moves on nuclear weapon policy -- strengthening cooperation on so-called "extended deterrence," promoting the development of nuclear-powered submarines, seeking "nuclear sharing," and introducing medium-range missile systems.
He said senior officials of the prime minister's office and coalition party have publicly advocated revising the three non-nuclear principles to challenge the bottom line of Japan and the international community.
Shinjiro Koizumi has at various international fora affirmed Japan's commitment to the exclusively defense-oriented policy, peaceful development and three non-nuclear principles, Lin said. "However, back in Japan, he is clamoring for discussing nuclear weapon policy 'without any taboos.' What 'commitment' is there to speak of? These self-contradictory moves once again reveal how Japan has disguised itself and deceived the international community," he said.
Japan is an internationally recognized nuclear threshold state, Lin said, noting that it has long been deliberately maintaining the capability for a rapid nuclear breakout, stockpiling approximately 44.4 metric tons of separated plutonium -- enough to produce a large number of nuclear warheads.
Japanese right-wing forces, citing so-called "external threats" and "self-defense," have been breaking free from Japan's Constitution, international law and domestic law, and challenging the postwar international order and the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, he added.
"Speeding down a dangerous path, they have posed a real threat to regional peace and stability. Should the international community allow Japanese right-wing forces to have their way and push for the development of powerful offensive weapons or the possession of nuclear weapons, Japan will once again wreak havoc on the world with catastrophic consequences," the spokesperson said.
(By Zhang Dongfang)