The international community should stay highly vigilant against Japan's remilitarization, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday.
Guo made the remarks in response to a media query about the Japanese government's move to allow export of weapons, including those with lethal capabilities, despite waves of large-scale protests.
"China is gravely concerned. Japanese militarists during their aggression and expansion last century committed horrendous crimes against China and other neighboring countries in Asia. Given the history of aggression and to prevent the revival of Japanese militarism, the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, the Japanese Instrument of Surrender and a series of documents with full legal effect under international law explicitly require Japan to be 'completely disarmed' and not to maintain industries that 'would enable her to re-arm for war,'" said Guo.
"The Japanese Constitution also contains strict restrictions on Japan's military strength, right of belligerency and right to war. After WWII, Japan further established stringent norms such as the 'exclusively defense-oriented principle' to limit the development of military strength and the export of weapons. [In 1976,] the Japanese government issued a unified view on arms exports demanding that Japan, 'as a nation dedicated to peace,' exercise caution on arms export," he said.
"Japan's recent dangerous moves in the military and security fields defy its self-proclaimed 'dedication to peace' and adherence to the 'exclusively defense-oriented' policy. Many experts and scholars expressed concern that Japan is restarting its 'war machine' and 'exporting wars.' Japan's quickened remilitarization is already a reality and comes with actual roadmap and steps being taken. The international community, including China, will remain highly vigilant and firmly resist Japan's reckless moves of neo-militarism," said Guo.
China calls for high vigilance on Japan's remilitarization
