Japan likely to re-arm in next five years to deter China's rise in Asia-Pacific

In order to prevent China's growing assertiveness in the Asia-Pacific region, Japan has now ramped up the process of building arms as the country recently signed a security pact with Australia to boost practical defence cooperation between the two nations, Singapore Post reported.

Japan is likely to re-arm up in the next five years to deter China in East Asia which is quite different from its pacifist nature.

The defence partnership came right after Xi Jinping took charge as the leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for the third term in a historic election after National Party Congress concluded in October.

In the declaration that took place in October, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida and Australian PM Anthony Albanese confirmed the significance of a "free and open Indo-Pacific," a vision advocated by late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Their agreement came with the concern mounting that China may intensify its military provocations against Taiwan after Chinese President Xi secured an unprecedented third term.

After World War II, the defence policies of Japan have always been governed by pacifism, however now Japan has stepped up its efforts to build its arms and ammunition in order to counter China's military modernisation, reported the Singapore Post.

Currently, Beijing is rattled by Japan's newly developed bonding with Taiwan and described it as dangerous.

Singapore Post reported quoting Yoji Koda, a former commander of Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force fleet as saying that Tokyo's trust in Beijing is vanishing due to Beijing's rapid military build-up and its flouting of an international court ruling that rejected China's claim over the South China Sea. Besides, tensions have also surged between Japan and China over the disputed territory known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan.

Moreover, losing Taiwan to mainland Chinese control could become a major disaster for Japan because it may hamper the key shipping lanes that supply nearly all of Japan's oil and many of the materials it uses for manufacturing.

Furthermore, it would also give the Chinese navy unfettered access to the Western Pacific from bases on the self-governed island as Xi's statement at the week-long 20th National Congress has blown away any hope of seeing the globe rinsed off the threat and geopolitical tension very soon.

He emphasized safeguarding China's core interests (read it as the country's territorial claims), strengthening military capabilities and non-abandoning the use of force for the reunification of Taiwan, reported The HK Post.