Protesters rally in Tokyo against Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi's moves toward remilitarization on Sunday. ZHU CHENXI/CHINA NEWS SERVICE
Tokyo's growing involvement in South China Sea affairs is driven more by Washington's "Indo-Pacific" strategy than by Japan's own security interests, Japanese experts said.
They warned that Japan's expanding role could heighten regional tensions, and called on Tokyo to uphold its pacifist principles by pursuing diplomacy rather than military moves.
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi issued a statement marking the 10th anniversary of the so-called "South China Sea Arbitration" on July 12, in which he endorsed the so-called "award", attacked China's lawful claims and portrayed Japan as a "legitimate stakeholder" in the South China Sea. A coalition of 14 countries issued the joint statement, which prompted a solemn representation and strong protest from the Chinese embassy in Japan on July 13.
Shi Yong, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Chinese embassy in Japan, lodged the representation with Kanai Masaaki, director-general of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
