Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani speaks during a joint news conference with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo on March 30, 2025. Kiyoshi Ota/Pool – Getty Images
Japan labeled China as “the greatest strategic challenge” since World War II in its 2025 defense white paper, highlighting geopolitical flashpoints as the rationale behind remilitarizing the nation.
“China’s external posture, military activities, and other activities are a matter of serious concern for Japan and the international community and present an unprecedented and the greatest strategic challenge which Japan should respond with its comprehensive national power and in cooperation and collaboration with its ally, like-minded countries, and others,” said the English version of the report’s summary published on Tuesday.
