China Condemns Japan's Record Defense Budget and Weapon Exports

Spokesperson for the Chinese Defense Ministry Zhang Xiaogang urged Japan to make a "clean break" with militarism during an online briefing on April 17, 2026. The demand followed the Japanese House of Councillors' approval of a record-high 2026 fiscal budget, with defense spending exceeding 9 trillion yen ($56.5 billion).

Zhang accused right-wing forces in Japan of pursuing an offensive and expansionist military policy. He specifically cited planned revisions to the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology, which would permit the export of lethal weapons.

Zhang asserted that these actions accelerate Japan's re-militarization and threaten regional peace and the post-war international order. He claimed Japan has violated international legal instruments, including the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, as well as its own Constitution.