“Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe signaled he will implement a more robust foreign policy in the midst of disputes with Russia and China that underscore his push to boost defense spending.
Japan yesterday said two Russian fighter jets intruded on its airspace, which Russia’s Defense Ministry denied. The alleged incursion followed accusations that Chinese ships used weapons-targeting radar on a Japanese destroyer and helicopter last month near islands claimed by both countries. China today issued a denial and accused Japan of spreading falsehoods, while the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo summoned the Chinese ambassador.
“When our sovereignty and national interests are threatened we must change our foreign policy to firmly express our point of view,” Abe told parliament today.
An escalating of tensions with Russia may distract Abe as he copes with a dispute with China that has prolonged Japan’s recession and brought U.S. calls for a diplomatic solution. The government is proposing the first increase in Japan’s defense budget in 11 years to cope with mounting incursions by Chinese ships and planes into Japanese-administered waters.
Abe this week denounced China’s use of fire-control radar on Japanese naval targets last month, calling it a “one-sided provocation.” Yesterday he said the dispute highlighted the need to keep lines of communications open, adding that summits are good forums for addressing friction.
