Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Japan’s ballooning defense budget is a very dangerous development and has led to serious concerns among Japan’s neighbors and the international community, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning during Tuesday’s routine news conference, warning that the country should seriously reflect on its history of aggression, respect the security concerns of its Asian neighbors.

When asked to comment on Japan’s plans to sharply increase the country’s defense spending over the next five years, Mao noted that Japan has been increasing its defense budget for ten consecutive years. It has also been hyping up regional tensions to seek military breakthroughs. 

“This is a very dangerous development, and has led to serious concerns among Japan’s Asian neighbors and the wider international community about whether Japan will stick to its exclusively defense-oriented policy and the path of peaceful development,” said the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson. 

Mao said that Japan needs to earnestly reflect on its history of aggression, respect the security concerns of Asian neighbors, act prudently in the field of military security, and do more things that are conducive to regional peace and stability.

Japan is set to earmark $295 billion to $318 billion for defense spending over five years starting in the next fiscal year beginning in April, which amounts to twice the size of Japan's annual economic output, Reuters reported Friday.