Japan for First Time Mentions Taiwan Stability in Defense Paper
- Report follows anger over Deputy Prime Minister Aso’s remarks
- South Korea defense budget larger, growing faster than Japan’s
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Japan for the first time referred to the importance of stability around Taiwan in its annual defense report, ratcheting up its concerns over the island that has been a flashpoint in tensions between China and the U.S.
The wording in the “Defense of Japan” white paper released Tuesday increased friction between the two biggest economies in Asia. A spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry told Tokyo not to interfere in Taiwan issues and said Beijing expressed “firm opposition” to the wording in the report.