China, North Korea accuse Japan of offensive military buildup

China's military mouthpiece, PLA Daily, has warned that Japan's recent large-scale annual live-fire drill signifies an acceleration towards offensive capabilities and military expansion. The publication stated that Japan's forces are becoming more dangerous and oriented towards actual combat, pushing forward on the road of 're-militarisation'.

These warnings come amid high tensions between Beijing and Tokyo, particularly following comments by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in November regarding potential military action in the Taiwan Strait. Beijing has previously condemned such remarks as damaging to bilateral ties and challenging the post-war international order, viewing Taiwan as a breakaway territory to be reunified by force if necessary.

North Korea has also criticized Japan's recent military exercises. Nodong Sinmun, the North's official newspaper, claimed that Japan's 'counterstrike' capability is, in essence, a preemptive attack capability. The paper took issue with drills conducted under the scenario of defending remote islands, citing the use of long-range missiles and high-speed glide projectiles as evidence that Japan has entered a practical stage of practicing preemptive strikes. Pyongyang views Japan's defense buildup as a pretext to expand its offensive military capabilities and a move towards becoming a 'full-fledged war state'.

Separately, an investigation is underway into a fatal accident during a live-fire drill on April 21, where an accidental detonation of a shell in a Type 10 tank killed three Ground Self-Defense Force members and injured another. The GSDF chief of staff apologized for the incident and ordered a suspension of training involving the Type 10 tank and similar ammunition, noting the rarity of such an event.