Japan's defence minister took a veiled swipe at China on Sunday, pledging to keep strengthening the military despite Beijing's criticism of Tokyo's increasingly muscular security stance.Japanese

China accuses Japan of pursuing remilitarisation after Tokyo deploys officers to NATO’s Ukraine assistance mission.

To prevent the revival of Japanese militarism, a series of instruments with legal effect under international law — including the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation — clearly require Japan to be "completely disarmed" and not to maintain such industries as "would enable her to re-arm for war", he said.

Visiting Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos Jr is receiving an “exceptional level of hospitality” as Japan seeks to upgrade ties with a nation that it sees as a crucial defence partner and potential arms customer.

Beijing dispatched a coast guard flotilla after Japan and the Philippines announced plans to delimit maritime boundaries.