Japan is deeply concerned that China's rapidly expanding maritime and airspace activities around the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea could trigger an unwanted clash, the Defense Ministry said Tuesday in its white paper for 2014.
The annual report, approved by the Cabinet, also expresses concern over North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, saying Pyongyang considers its nuclear arms development as a vital deterrent against the United States as Kim Jong Un tries to solidify his grip on power.
"Security issues and destabilizing factors are further escalating in the Asia-Pacific region, including the area surrounding our country," the paper says.