Japanese White Paper outlines concerns over Chinese transparency, intentions

Japan's 2012 Defence White Paper highlights territorial disputes, China's military rise and lack of transparency and Tokyo's intention to develop intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities in space.

The paper, which was published by the Japanese Ministry of Defence on 31 July, notes that while Europe has made the transition from the Cold War to 21st century political stability, "long-standing issues of territorial rights and reunification continue to plague the [Asia-Pacific] region".

China's role in these territorial disputes is of the greatest concern, Defence Minister Satoshi Morimoto said at a press conference in Tokyo. "It is true, not only in Japan but also in the entire East Asia, that there is a certain level of vigilance about where China is heading," said Morimoto, who said that Japan was not looking to escalate tensions with its neighbour with the paper's publication. "As far as I understand, the White Paper tries to explain China's maritime activities and movements to the Japanese people as objectively as possible."

China is currently engaged in territorial disputes with India and Taiwan and also with a number of countries over islands and resources in the South China Sea.