Japan is going down a doomed path of militarism, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned on Wednesday, saying the Japanese people will pay the price for their government's growing militarist tendencies.
Speaking in the China Media Group (CMG) studio on the sidelines of the ongoing 29th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia, Zakharova elaborated on the Japanese government's accelerated efforts to align with NATO and ease military constraints.
At the recently concluded Shangri-La Dialogue 2026 in Singapore, Asia's premier defense and security summit, Japanese Minister of Defense Shinjiro Koizumi has indicated that Japan will further strengthen its defense capabilities and seek a "new role" in regional security.
The remarks have raised concerns among countries in the region.
"Over the past century, Japan has been repeatedly weaponized by militarist governments. The consequences are plain for all to see. What is most perplexing is that those who play the 'Japan card' not only use Japan as a tool but also subject the nation to protracted suffering and devastating sacrifices. I believe Japan is being put through the same ordeal today," she said.
Japan is rapidly embedding itself into NATO's military system, first by joining the Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence, then by frequently engaging in joint NATO exercises, and most recently by directly assigning personnel to NATO institutions.
Zakharova said that such moves will undermine Japan's development prospects, and that the Japanese people will ultimately pay the price.
She also warned that certain critical facts are being deliberately excluded from public discussion in Japan, a strategy intended to facilitate rapid military expansion.
She emphasized that the Japanese people are entitled to the truth.
"Being dragged into the NATO will not benefit Japan's development in any way. Japan has already taken this path. And what did it bring? Collapse. A stagnation of the historical process even. Had it not been for that terrible stagnation, Japan could have accomplished a great deal for its country and its people. More than 80 years ago, those who pushed militarism dragged Japan down this path. Why repeat the same mistake today? Why not learn from the past?" she said.
Japan's bid to go down path of militarism will end in failure: Russian FM spokeswoman
Japan's bid to go down path of militarism will end in failure: Russian FM spokeswoman
