Japan’s defence minister, Minoru Kihara, has condemned China’s rapidly expanding military capabilities, describing Beijing’s arsenal as “huge” and warning of its destabilising effect on the region. His remarks came as the United Kingdom formalised a new security pact with Tokyo, deepening bilateral defence ties amid growing concerns over Chinese assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific.
Speaking at a press conference in Tokyo alongside UK Defence Secretary John Healey, Kihara said China’s military build-up, including its nuclear arsenal and naval modernisation, posed a “serious security challenge” not only to Japan but to the entire international community. He cited Beijing’s lack of transparency and its increasing willingness to use coercion, including in the East China Sea and South China Sea.
“China’s huge arsenal, combined with its lack of strategic transparency, is a source of grave concern,” Kihara said. “Japan and the UK share the view that we must strengthen deterrence and respond firmly to any attempts to change the status quo by force.”
Healey, in turn, underscored Britain’s commitment to the region, describing the security pact as a “milestone” in UK-Japan relations. The agreement includes provisions for joint military exercises, intelligence sharing, and cooperation on defence technology, including next-generation fighter jets and cybersecurity.
The pact, formally titled the Reciprocal Access Agreement, was signed by both nations in January 2023 but has taken effect only now after ratification. It allows British and Japanese forces to operate on each other’s soil with simplified legal procedures, a move aimed at facilitating rapid deployment in a crisis.
Healey said the agreement reflects the UK’s “indelible commitment” to the security of Europe and the Indo-Pacific. “Our relationship with Japan is central to our ambition to be a global actor in an era of strategic competition,” he said.
The timing of the pact is notable. It follows weeks of heightened tension in the Taiwan Strait, where China has conducted large-scale military drills around Taiwan. Japan and the UK have both expressed concern over Beijing’s actions, with Tokyo formally referring to Taiwan as a “stability concern” in its 2024 defence white paper.
Analysts view the UK-Japan pact as part of a broader Western effort to counterbalance China’s growing military reach. Similar agreements have been forged between Japan and Australia, and between the UK and the United States under the AUKUS alliance.
China’s foreign ministry, responding to Kihara’s comments, accused Japan of “hyping the China threat” and said its military development was purely defensive. Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Beijing’s defence spending remained within reasonable limits and that China would not be intimidated by “Cold War mentality”.
“China has always been a builder of world peace,” Wang said. “We urge Japan to stop making unwarranted accusations and to work with China to maintain regional stability.”
Kihara dismissed the criticism, insisting that Japan’s stance was not a reflection of hostility but a necessary response to a changing security environment. “Our actions are defensive in nature,” he said. “We seek dialogue, but we must also be prepared for any eventuality.”
The security pact has been welcomed by Washington, which views closer UK-Japan ties as complementary to the US-led alliance system in the region. A State Department spokesperson said the agreement “strengthens the rules-based international order” and enhances deterrence against “aggressive behaviour”.
However, the pact has drawn criticism from some quarters in Japan, where it has been argued that it could entangle the country in conflicts not directly related to its own defence. Opposition parties have questioned the constitutionality of hosting foreign troops on Japanese soil, though the government insists the agreement does not violate Article 9, the country’s pacifist clause.
Healey said the UK understood Japanese sensitivities and that the pact was designed to be “fully compliant with Japan’s legal framework”. He added that British forces would only be deployed to Japan with the explicit consent of the Japanese government.
As the two defence ministers concluded their joint press conference, they announced plans for a combined naval exercise in the Pacific later this year, involving the UK’s Carrier Strike Group and Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force. The drills will focus on anti-submarine warfare and air defence, reflecting the growing interoperability between the two navies.
For Japan, the UK pact represents a milestone in its post-war security policy. For Britain, it signals a determination to remain a player in the Indo-Pacific, even as Europe grapples with its own security crisis. The question now is whether these growing ties will deter Beijing or provoke a sharper response.
