Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi has conveyed Tokyo’s concern to China about a number of regional security issues, including repeated Sino-Russian military flights near Japanese airspace and Beijing’s activities in the East and South China seas.
Following his first in-person meeting with Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe — held on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore — Kishi told reporters on Sunday that he voiced “serious concerns” over the continuation of joint Sino-Russian military exercises around Japan, including the deployment of long-range strategic bombers, adding that Tokyo views these activities as “a demonstration against Japan.”
According to Japan's Defense Ministry, Kishi also raised the issue of China’s ongoing deployment of government vessels near the Senkaku Islands, calling on Beijing to exercise self-restraint and refrain from attempting to unilaterally change the status quo in the area by force. He also expressed concern about Chinese military activities in the East China Sea, including exercises near Japanese waters involving the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning.