Japan's biggest warship was unveiled on Tuesday, raising grave concerns about the country's military buildup as observers said the vessel is actually an aircraft carrier, banned by Japan's pacifist constitution.
Tokyo's move coincided with Manila's latest efforts to upgrade its military, as the Philippine navy received a second former US coast guard ship. Manila received the first ship in 2011.
Analysts see the upgraded warships in Japan and the Philippines as efforts to gain an upper hand in maritime disputes with China, as well as a catalyst igniting an arms race that would escalate regional tensions.
China's Ministry of National Defense expressed concern on Tuesday about Japan's "continuous military buildup" and urged it to adhere to peaceful self-defense.
"Japan should reflect on its history, adhere to self-defense and the promise of following the path of peaceful development," the ministry's bureau for media affairs told China Daily. The ministry also called for Japan's neighbors and the international community to be "highly alert".
The Japanese-built carrier has a displacement of around 20,000 tons. It can accommodate 14 helicopters and will play a major role in disaster and rescue missions, as well as defend sea passages and Japanese territory, according to Japan's defense ministry.
But it is much larger than many countries' aircraft carriers in terms of displacement and deck length, and it can be easily and swiftly refitted to support F35-B fighters, which have strong combat capabilities, said Zhang Junshe, a senior researcher at the People's Liberation Army Naval Military Studies Research Institute.
"It is an aircraft carrier, and Japan just called it ‘a helicopter destroyer' to downplay its aggressive nature," Zhang said. Japan, defeated in World War II, is creating regional tensions by breaking the postwar order, he added.
Source: ChinaDaily
