Beijing’s ‘Militarist’ Label for Japan Fits China Instead, Defense Experts Say

Beijing’s ‘Militarist’ Label for Japan Fits China Instead, Defense Experts Say During Asia’s Shangri-La Dialogue, China’s delegation accused Japan of returning to militarism, referencing the 80th anniversary of the trial of Japan’s wartime leaders. Japan’s defense minister rejected the accusation, pointing to China’s rapid and opaque military expansion. However, Taiwanese defense scholars argued that Beijing’s own military actions better fit the label of militarism.

• China’s delegation at the Shangri-La Dialogue accused Japan of sliding back toward militarism.
• Japan’s defense minister rejected the accusation, citing China’s rapid and non-transparent military expansion.
• Taiwanese defense scholars stated that China, not Japan, fits the description of a militarist nation.
• The scholars pointed to China’s increasing military budget, opaque spending, and expanding nuclear arsenal as reasons for their assessment.