15 December
Japan's Defense Minister Taro Kono has expressed concern about China's maritime activities and underscored the importance of the rule of law.
Kono gave a speech at an international conference in Qatar on Saturday. Kono said, "China is engaging in unilateral and coercive attempts to alter the status quo based on its own assertions that are incompatible with the existing international order." He said China is conducting such activities in the East China Sea and South China Sea. Kono said Japan is "also concerned about China's rapid enhancement of its military power without transparency, including its nuclear and missile capabilities."
The minister said, "The rule of law, which is of critical importance to global stability and security, is a value shared by the international community, including China." He said countries' attempts to expand their spheres of influence beyond their borders by force must be addressed and "the aggressors must be forced to pay the cost." Kono also referred to North Korea. He said the nation's "nuclear and ballistic missile development poses a serious and imminent threat to the security of Japan." He said, "It undermines the peace and security of the region and the international community."
Kono urged countries to unite and implement all relevant UN Security Council resolutions to dismantle North Korea's weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles of all ranges. He said this should be done "in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner."—NHK
