Japan has bolstered its military capability and spending in recent years and has started deploying long-range cruise missiles as a deterrence to China’s military activity. The 598-page defense paper adopted by the Cabinet on Tuesday reiterated that China is Japan’s biggest strategic challenge. Japan is alarmed by the growing presence and frequency of Chinese warships in the Pacific Ocean.
The annual white paper outlines Japan’s military activity and priorities and analysis of military trends in specific countries. As Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government needs public support for further military buildup and spending and to attract service members, the report has features to appeal to readers including a cartoon on the cover and links to video clips in Japanese, English and Chinese.