Japan's Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has slammed China for bolstering its military capabilities "without sufficient transparency."

Koizumi's comments came as he spoke at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Sunday.

The minister said China continued to expand defense spending at a high level and the country's military activities were a matter of "serious concern" for Japan and and the international community.

Ties between the Asian countries have been at their worst in years ever since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi cautioned in November that if China were to attack Taiwan — the self-governing democratic island that China claims as its territory — Japan could intervene.

Japan defense minister rebuts 'neo-militarism' claim

Under Takaichi, Japan has been strengthening its domestic arms industry and fostering deeper ties with its defense partners in a pivot from the pacifist principles that shaped its security policy following World War II.

Earlier in May, China's Foreign Ministry urged Asia-Pacific nations to be vigilant and "jointly resist" what it called "the reckless actions of Japan's neo-militarism."

Koizumi on Sunday dismissed accusations from China that Japan was embracing such a policy.

The defense minister said "nothing could be further from the truth."

"Think about it. There is a country that has a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons and strategic bombers," Koizumi said, without naming China.

"Japan has neither of such weapons. And, yet, Japan is labeled 'new militarism.' Isn't it strange?" he said.

But Major General Meng Xiangqing, China's delegate at the forum in Singapore, railed against Japan.

"I deeply doubt whether ‌a ​country that has not thoroughly eradicated the toxic legacy of militarism is qualified to talk extensively about defense cooperation on international occasions, and whether it can win the trust of the international community, especially the Asian countries it once invaded," he said.

Japan to keep strengthening military, open to dialogue

Koizumi said Japan would "steadily build up its defense capabilities and make continuous updates with a high degree of transparency," including in the areas of artificial intelligence, uncrewed systems, along with cyber and space defense.

Tokyo, he said, is "determined" to play a ⁠new role in enhancing defense cooperation in the Asia-Pacific and boosting deterrence in the region.

"Japan's past as a peace-loving nation has been valued by the region and by the international community. This fact will not be shaken by false claims, because it is a fact," he said.

He added that Japan's postwar record "speaks for itself," ​citing the country's ‌adherence to international law, commitment to the United Nations Charter and efforts to uphold a "free and open international order."

Meanwhile, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun skipped the top Asian defense summit for the second year in a row.

Koizumi said he was "sad" to not meet his ​Chinese counterpart at the forum and insisted that Tokyo remained open to engagement.

"We keep the door open," he remarked.

Japan and South Korea discuss military-logistics deal

Meanwhile, Japan and South Korea are discussing the possibility of a military-logistics deal.

"It requires the understanding and persuasion of the citizens of ​both nations, and I believe we should still proceed with ​caution," South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back told ​reporters after ‌meeting his counterpart Koizumi at the Shangri-La Dialogue.

Relations between Japan and South Korea have improved dramatically since their lows of 2019.

But South Korea has been cautious about a deal given persistent grievances over Japan's occupation of the Korean Peninsula between 1910 and 1945, and public resistance to the possibility of Japanese troops operating on Korean soil. 

Both South Korea and Japan host tens of thousands of US troops and all three countries play a key role in maintaining stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru

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