'Crossing red line': China sounds alarm over Japan expanding offensive military tech
China's military newspaper has issued a stern warning regarding Japan's rapid expansion of unmanned military technology. Beijing views Tokyo's investment in drones and autonomous systems as a provocative move toward remilitarization and a threat to regional stability.
Why it matters
This highlights the escalating security competition in East Asia and the potential for a regional arms race involving advanced autonomous weaponry.
Amid escalating regional tensions between China and Japan, China’s military mouthpiece, PLA Daily, devoted an entire page to warning about Japan's rapidly expanding drone capabilities.In four articles published in Monday's edition, the People's Liberation Army's official newspaper argued that Japan was pursuing "remilitarisation" by developing unmanned systems capable of supporting long-range precision strikes, counterstrike operations and joint offensive missions with the United States.The warning comes as Beijing has intensified criticism of Japan's defence policies under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, including Tokyo's military modernisation, closer security ties with the United States and the Philippines, and debate over revising long-standing post-war security principles.Links drones to Japan's military expansionAccording to PLA Daily, Japan's 2022 National Security Strategy, National Defence Strategy and Defence Build-up Programme identified unmanned defence capabilities as a central pillar of the country's future military planning.The newspaper said Tokyo planned to invest 1 trillion yen (around US$6.2 billion) in uncrewed systems…
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