By IANS,
Beijing : Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda says he is concerned about China’s military development and has urged Beijing to act as a “responsible member of the international community”.
“I am concerned about their reinforcement of national defence power, which lacks transparency, and their acceleration of maritime activities,” the China Daily quoted Noda as saying.
In an article published in the Japanese magazine Bungei Shunju, the prime minister said China’s “high-handed foreign posture, backed by its military capabilities, is stoking fears that China will disrupt the order within the region”.
Experts, however, say Noda’s comments are “invalid” and “catering to domestic public opinion”.
Liu Jiangyong, a professor of Japanese studies at Tsinghua University in Beijing, said:
“Noda’s accusation that China lacks transparency in its military development is invalid as the definition of ‘transparency’ is ambiguous.”
Yang Bojiang, another professor of Japanese studies at Beijing’s University of International Relations, said Noda’s remarks were partly catering to domestic public opinion as he got elected at a tough time for Japan.
Yang said Noda would adopt policies that would protect both national interests and his own leadership, as the ability to successfully manage relations with China has become a yardstick for Japan’s leader.
Though voicing concern about China’s military development, Noda has told parliament that Japan wants to deepen relations with China in the run-up to next year’s 40th anniversary of the restoration of diplomatic ties.