Japan's security situation is getting shakier year by year because of North Korea's nuclear drive and China's military buildup, the Foreign Ministry said Friday in its annual report on diplomacy.
Foreign Minister Koichiro Genba said in the latest edition of the Diplomatic Bluebook that it will be "important to minimize risks and maximize opportunities for growth within the Asia-Pacific region" to maximize Japan's interests.
The report, which gives an overview of Japanese foreign policy in 2011, says the nation needs to develop a "dynamic defense force" and strengthen the decades-long security alliance with the United States.
It says North Korea, following the death in December of leader Kim Jong Il, is "unpredictable" and that Japan will continue to closely monitor developments in Pyongyang.
The report takes an alarming tone about North Korea's nuclear and missile development programs, China's opaque defense buildup and increased maritime activities, and a Russian military that is modernizing steadily in tandem with its economic development.
South Korea files protest
South Korea lodged a strong protest Friday against Japan's renewed claim over a pair of islets in the Sea of Japan, saying the move is "totally unacceptable," according to a statement issued by South Korea's Foreign Ministry.
The statement was issued after Japan reiterated its claim over the islets, known as Dokdo in Korea and Takeshima in Japan, in the Diplomatic Bluebook for 2012.