Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian Photo: Foreign Ministry

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Friday slammed Japan's plan to significantly increase its defense budget as further exposing its sinister intent of Japanese right-wing forces to push for remilitarization and attempt a revival of militarism.

Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks at a regular press conference in response to a question that Japan's Cabinet approved the fiscal 2026 budget on Friday with defense spending exceeding 9 trillion yen, which marked a record high if it is approved at the parliament early next year.   

Recently, the international community has repeatedly voiced criticism over Japan's military and security developments. Rather than showing reflection or restraint, Japan plans to further significantly increase its defense budget, which further exposes the sinister intent of Japanese right-wing forces to push for remilitarization and attempt a revival of militarism, Lin said. 

Given Japan's extensive and well-documented record of wartime aggression, its military and security activities have long been closely watched by neighboring Asian countries and the international community, Lin noted. 

Since the new Japanese government took office, it has clearly accelerated the pace of military strengthening and armament expansion. From Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks on Taiwan, issuing threats of force against China, to senior official at the PM's Office making pro-nuclear statements, and to the promotion of revisions of three documents on security and defense along with hints at amending the "Three Non-Nuclear Principles," Japan is increasingly departing from its long-standing claim of "pursuing a path of peaceful development," moving ever further in a dangerous direction, the spokesperson said. 

In recent years, Japan has unilaterally relaxed restrictions on collective self-defense, developed so-called "enemy-base strike capabilities," strengthened "extended deterrence" cooperation, and turned coastal islands into "forward positions," clearly exceeding the scope of its "exclusively defensive" posture, Lin said. 

The notions of "defense" and "counterattack" have become pretexts for right-wing forces in Japan to stir public opinion and manipulate discourse, circumventing the postwar international order and the constraints of the Japanese Constitution. These developments have already raised high alert in the international community, the spokesperson noted. 

The Japanese people are also victims of militarism, Lin noted. I have noted that some insightful voices in Japan have pointed out that increasing defense spending does not bring peace and stability, he said. 

Recently, citizens across multiple cities in Japan have held gatherings to strongly protest the government's path of military expansion. Scholars have also noted that rising defense expenditures place an extremely heavy burden on Japan's economy, which will ultimately be borne by ordinary Japanese citizens, Lin said. 

China will work together with all peace-loving countries to firmly curb any attempts to revive militarism or to shape a "new form of militarism," and to jointly safeguard the achievements of victory in WWII, the spokesperson said.