Japan's conniving at militarism is bound to bring disasters and no one can remain unaffected, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning at a regular press briefing Tuesday in Beijing.
Mao made the remarks while responding to a media query about the Japanese government's recent moves aiming to revive militarism.
"Hyping up external threats and making excuses for military expansion and war preparations are common tactics used by Japanese militarism. International documents such as the Potsdam Proclamation explicitly stipulate that Japan must be completely disarmed and must not maintain industries that would enable it to rearm. This is Japan's obligation under international law. However, Japan has lifted restrictions on the export of lethal weapons, strengthened its military industry, and accelerated the transformation of its security policies toward an offensive one. This series of dangerous moves bear a striking resemblance to the process in which militarists prepared to wage war before World War II. Historically, appeasement and indulgence of militarism is a painful lesson. The lesson remains close at hand: Once the Pandora's box of militarism is opened, no one can stay unaffected, and it will eventually lead to disasters," said Mao.
In April, the Japanese government, led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, officially revised the "three principles on transfer of defense equipment and technology" and their implementation guidelines.
The revisions scrap the restrictions that had limited arms exports to five non-combat categories, allow, in principle, the export of lethal weapons, permit transfers to nations engaged in active conflict under specified circumstances, and sideline parliament from the decision-making process -- crossing a line that previous governments had at least nominally upheld.
Japan's conniving at militarism bound to bring disasters: Chinese FM spokeswoman
Japan's conniving at militarism bound to bring disasters: Chinese FM spokeswoman
