Chinese Ambassador to Russia accuses Japan of reviving militarism

MOSCOW, August 20. /TASS/. Japan, reviving the spirit of militarism, is converting military ships into aircraft carriers and developing medium-and long-range missiles, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui stated in an article for TASS.

As the diplomat noted, today, 80 years since the start of the Tokyo Trials, "Japan’s right-wing forces, led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, are attempting to revive the spirit of militarism, fabricating narratives to whitewash Japanese colonizers and cast doubt on the postwar international order."

"Japan is converting ships into aircraft carriers and developing medium-and long-range missiles with a range exceeding 1,000 km. For the first time, the country has re-exported Patriot missiles and begun exporting military frigates, thereby violating restrictions on the export of lethal weapons," the diplomat noted.

According to the ambassador, "the international community has not forgotten the past, for achieving peace was no easy task, and it must be even more vigilant today." "The Cairo and Potsdam Declarations and the Instrument of Surrender of Japan, which are legally binding under international law, clearly define Japan’s international obligations. Japan’s Constitution also strictly limits the country’s use of military force and its right to wage war," he noted.

However, the diplomat pointed out, "After the war, Japan was never able to completely break with militarism: Yasukuni Shrine still honors the memory of 14 convicted Class-A war criminals, and right-wing circles are attempting to downplay and whitewash the historical facts of Japanese aggression by rewriting history textbooks."

"Japan’s 2026 Defense White Paper - the first defense policy document of the Takaichi Cabinet - includes separate chapters devoted to new forms of warfare and the development of the military-industrial complex. This clearly demonstrates the intention to build up the country’s military capabilities," Zhang Hanhui emphasized. "Japan’s defense spending has been rising for the 14th consecutive year and has reached $58 billion, increasing by more than 60% over the past five years, accounting for 2% of GDP."