Japan's defence white paper flags China's expanding Pacific military presence

Tokyo is set to signal heightened alarm over China's growing military footprint in the Pacific in its upcoming annual defence white paper. The draft is expected to describe Chinese naval deployments, long‑range exercises, aircraft carrier operations and submarine activity as an "unprecedented and greatest strategic challenge" for Japan and the broader international community.

Japanese officials say the expansion stretches beyond the East China Sea and Taiwan Strait into deeper Pacific waters, affecting island nations and threatening the regional balance of power. The warning comes as Japan has boosted defence spending, deployed missile‑defence systems to its southwestern islands and deepened security cooperation with the United States, Australia, India and European partners.

The paper will also reference other regional flashpoints such as North Korean missile launches and maritime disputes, underscoring Tokyo's concern that China's increasing presence could alter maritime security and supply‑chain stability across the Indo‑Pacific.