Japan releases defense white paper hyping "China threat"

Tokyo, Aug. 2 (ANI): Japan is playing up the 'China threat' to veil its new security bill and expansion of military. The Japanese Government has approved a defense white paper for the present year on Tuesday, summarizing Japan's defense policy changes and tarnishing China's normal maritime activities to justify its own militarization, reports Xinhua. In the 480-page white paper, Japan devoted 30 pages for remarks on China's national defense and its maritime activities in the East and South China Seas. Analysts here believe that by playing up the so- "China threat," Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is attempting to make excuses for amending the post-war pacifist constitution and building up Japan's military. The white paper also covers Japan's defense policies and changes in defense strategy since last July, including the country's ever-rising military spending, its enforcement of the new National Defense Program Guidelines and attempts to promote arms sales. The paper has also devoted a special chapter to the controversial security law presented in the Parliament in March by the Abe administration. It claimed the legislation "safeguards Japan's peace and security" and "international community spoke highly of the security laws" ignoring the fact that majority of legal experts in the country regarded the security laws as unconstitutional and hundreds of thousands of people have rallied against the laws. The white paper also stressed the importance of Japan-U.S. military alliance. Regarding the planned relocation of the U.S. air base in Okinawa, the document said relocation to Henoko within the prefecture is the only solution, despite the strong wish of Okinawans to move the base out of the island. The document also listed other security "concerns," such as those from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's missile and nuclear programs. (ANI)