How Japan seeks to win over allies by rebutting China over military spending

Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi’s pushback against China signals a calculated bid to fend off accusations of Tokyo’s “new militarism” by Beijing to ensure that the label does not stick and slow Japan’s security reforms. His comments in recent weeks on separate instances are aimed at shaping the perceptions of Tokyo’s state partners, according to analysts. Speaking in his first published interview with foreign media as defence chief on June 17, Koizumi questioned the accuracy of...

By Maria Siow