On July 6, Japan's parliament, the Diet, passed the 2001 Defense White Paper. While bearing similar content to previous documents, the new paper carries exaggerations of the military threat posed by China.

Japan's 1999 Defense White Paper devoted considerable space to the development of China's military strength. It expressed its concern over China's warships that it said had appeared in the waters around the island of Diaoyu.

In contrast, the 2001 paper harped on about the so-called "China threat" by exaggerating China's military strength.

The paper said a 17-per cent jump in military spending by China goes "beyond the needs of defense," despite the fact that China's military spending is only 30 percent of Japan's and the increase is mainly aimed at paying rises for the country's 2.5 million servicemen.

The paper even wrongly claimed that China has targeted its missiles at Asian countries including Japan.

Japan made the claims because it wants to distract people's attention and provide excuses for its help in the development of the Theatre Missile Defense (TMD) system, the newspaper pointed out. Its actions would cast a shadow over Sino-Japan relations, it commented.

Japan's Defense Agency went further in tarnishing China's image by claiming that China boasts 100 medium-range ballistic missiles whose range covers the whole of Asia including Japan. It even said that China had accelerated the deployment of short-range ballistic missiles which targeted Taiwan.

The motive behind Japan's renewed cries about the "China threat" is clear: On the one hand, Japan is attempting to mislead the world into believing that China is the source of instability in Asia. Its TMD system jointly developed by Japan and the United States is only a countermeasure against "threats from China."

On the other hand, it wants to shift people's attention from Japan's military expansion which has invited condemnation from Asian countries.

Instead of investigating its past wrongdoings inflicted on Asian people during World War II, Japan kept expanding its military might including upgrading the quality of its Self Defense Forces (SDF), developing sophisticated high-tech weaponry and reinventing its SDF into a national defense force.

Currently Japan has the world's second largest military budget for its ground, air and maritime forces.

Its maritime and air defense spending, in particular, has expanded rapidly.

Japanese Defense Chief Tsutomu Kawara announced last May that the SDF will introduce personnel-transport aircraft with longer ranges to its fleet so it can be used in evacuations and peacekeeping operations abroad.

The Defense Agency is considering adding three or more transport aircraft, each capable of carrying 200 people and flying 10,000 kilometers without the need for refueling.

Japan's Maritime SDF has also been armed with four guided missile destroyers, which are amongst the best in the world.

According to the newspaper, by the year of 2010, the Maritime SDF will possess 30 large destroyers with a tonnage of over 4,000 and 14 jumbo conventional submarines with a tonnage of 2,700.

Before 2015 two aircraft carriers with a tonnage of 40,000 each will be built, which are able to accommodate E-2C early warning planes and fighters.

Furthermore, Japan is building up its air force to have the capability for long-range offensives. It has some 40 F-2 fighters. By the year 2010, the number will be increased to 140, along with 210 F-15 planes, four S-767 early warning planes and dozens of mid-air refueling tankers.

The article questioned Japan's development of its large-scale military strength and said it does not serve its self-defense purposes. Japan aims to play a bigger military role in global affairs.

Japan's military co-operation with the United States to develop TMD system is a case in point.

To secure a bigger say in global affairs and remove the blockades on its road to military expansion, Japan has set a target of amending its pacifist Constitution and restoring its right of collective self defense, which is denied by its 1947 constitution.

Originally, Japan planned to amend its constitution in 10 years, but it is now poised to implement this plan ahead of time, most likely within five years.

Predictably, to serve its own military ambitions, Japan will look for more excuses, the newspaper said.

China, as an important country in the world, has been implementing an active defense strategy. It has been moderately developing its military might. Its military operations are conducted in line with international law.

As for China's military deployment targeting Taiwan, this is a domestic matter, the newspaper said. It aims to target Taiwan's pro-independence forces. Japan is not in a position to comment on China's internal affairs.

The article said Japan and China both have obligations to promote mutual development and safeguard world peace.

Sound Sino-Japanese ties are not only in the fundamental interest of the two countries, but also conducive to world peace and development.

Japan's military expansion under the cover-up of the "China threat" theory will do nothing but harm Japan and Asia's future development, the newspaper warned.

(China Daily 07/18/2001)