China fumes as Japan vows to acquire enemy base strike capability to deter growing threats

Japan's National Security Strategy was updated by Japanese PM Fumio Kishida's cabinet on Friday. The new strategy talks were about acquiring enemy base strike capability to develop offensive deterrence against China and North Korea. as per Kyodo News. The new security strategy says that Japan faces the most acute form of risk since the 2nd World War, alluding to the rising threat of China. 

So, what is enemy base strike capability? Enemy base strike capability refers to a military's ability to launch attacks against enemy military bases or other strategic targets. This capability is important for deterrence because it allows a military to threaten its adversaries with the possibility of a devastating attack. Deterrence is a strategy used by military forces to prevent potential adversaries from taking certain actions or engaging in certain behaviors. 

The logic of deterrence 

By demonstrating a strong enemy base strike capability, a military can deter its adversaries from taking aggressive actions that might lead to a conflict. Enemy base strike capability can be a powerful deterrent because it allows a military to threaten its adversaries with the possibility of a devastating attack. If an adversary believes that it is at risk of being attacked by a military with a strong enemy base strike capability, it may be less likely to engage in aggressive actions that could lead to a conflict.

Budget hikes and China's reaction 

Japan has also pledged to increase its defence budget. The target is to boost yearly defence spending to 2 percent of the GDP by 2027. According to a report from Kyodo News, Japan will increase its defence spending to $315 billion, over the next five years. China has criticised the direction in which Japan is heading. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that Tokyo is "hyping up" the China threat as an "excuse" to boost its defence budget. The Chinese spokie claimed that the countries "do not possess a threat to each other". 

Territorial dispute between Japan and China

The territorial dispute between China and Japan centers on a group of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan and the Diaoyu Islands in China. The islands are located east of China, north of Taiwan, and southwest of Japan's Okinawa Island. Both China and Japan claim sovereignty over the islands, with Beijing arguing that it has historical claims to the islands dating back to the 14th century. 

Japan, on the other hand, asserts that it has controlled the islands since 1895, when it acquired them as part of the defeat of China in the First Sino-Japanese War. The dispute has been a source of tension between the two countries for decades, and has occasionally escalated into confrontations between Chinese and Japanese vessels in the waters around the islands. In recent years, Beijing has increased its presence in the region, with Chinese coast guard vessels frequently patrolling the area and Chinese aircraft conducting military exercises in the vicinity.