Japan is cautioned by China to avoid "dangerous" militarism

Japan's decision to once again embrace the path of militarization is "very dangerous" and warrants the attention of the international community, China's Defense Ministry spokesman said on Thursday. Senior Colonel Tan Kefei was asked to comment on recent remarks by Tokyo's Defense Ministry, which sounded the alarm over Beijing's decision to increase its military budget. Tan dismissed all such concerns, insisting that China is committed to peaceful development and its defense expenditure is entirely for safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests. However, he noted that Japan has been playing up the so-called 'external threat' in recent years and working to obtain advanced offensive weapons, thereby fueling regional tensions. He urged the Japanese side to learn from the lessons of history and be cautious in words and deeds in matters of military security. Japan plans to spend as much as $320 billion in total on defense over a period of five years.