(LEAD) N. Korea slams Japan's defense paper as justification for military buildup

Lead

Japan's annual defence white paper, approved by the cabinet on August 4, has drawn sharp criticism from three neighbouring countries, each taking issue with different aspects of the document. China protested its portrayal of Beijing as Tokyo's greatest strategic challenge, South Korea objected to the reaffirmed territorial claim over the Dokdo islets, and North Korea denounced the paper as a justification for Japanese militarization.

Coverage Comparison

Reporting on the reactions came from two news organisations. The Hindu covered China's diplomatic protest, while Yonhap News reported on both South Korea's official complaint and North Korea's denunciation. Each source focused on the response most relevant to its audience, with The Hindu detailing China's objections and Yonhap providing extensive coverage of the South Korean and North Korean perspectives.

The Hindu's report highlighted China's formal complaint, quoting a foreign ministry spokesperson who described the white paper's comments on Taiwan as "brazen" and its accusations against China as "groundless." The report also noted that Japan showcased a new anti-ship missile in conjunction with the white paper's release.

Yonhap's coverage of South Korea's reaction centred on the foreign ministry summoning a Japanese embassy official to lodge a "strong" protest over Tokyo's claim to Dokdo. A separate Yonhap report covered North Korea's response, which came via an article by an international security analyst published in state media.

Key Claims

• China's protest: China lodged a "serious diplomatic" protest with Japan over the defence white paper, according to The Hindu. The protest was delivered by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jing, who said the paper made "brazen comments" on Taiwan and rehashed the so-called "China threat." The white paper reportedly portrayed China's growing military actions as Japan's top security challenge.

• Taiwan and territorial disputes: The Hindu reported that China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and considers the Taiwan question entirely its internal affair. The same report noted that the white paper made comments on Taiwan that China deemed interference. On the East China Sea, Lin Jing reiterated China's claim to the Diaoyu Islands, which Japan controls and calls Senkaku.

• Japan's new missile: The Hindu reported that Japan showcased a new anti-ship missile with a range of about 1,000 km, coinciding with the white paper's release.

• South Korea's protest over Dokdo: Yonhap reported that South Korea's foreign ministry lodged a "strong" protest and summoned Kazuo Tsuchiya, deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, to deliver formal complaints. The ministry spokesperson, Park Doo-soon, described Japan's claim as "unjust" and stated that the islets are "indisputably" South Korean territory. The defence ministry also summoned a Japanese military attaché to lodge a separate complaint.

• North Korea's denunciation: Yonhap reported that North Korea denounced the white paper as an attempt to justify Japan's military buildup. An article by Kang Won-chol, an international security analyst, published by state media, described Japan as "rushing headlong into militarization" and accused Tokyo of "groundlessly" describing North Korea as a "serious and imminent threat."

Perspectives

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

China views the white paper as containing "groundless accusations" and "brazen comments" on Taiwan, and has lodged a "serious diplomatic" protest, according to The Hindu. Spokesperson Lin Jing asserted that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory and that Japan has no place to interfere in the matter.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry

The ministry "strongly" protested Japan's "unjust" territorial claim to Dokdo and called for its immediate withdrawal, as reported by Yonhap. Spokesperson Park Doo-soon stated that the islets are "indisputably" South Korean territory under history, geography, and international law.

North Korean analyst Kang Won-chol

Writing in state media, Kang argued that the white paper is a legal basis for "the operation of war machine" and an attempt to justify Japan's "reckless" military buildup, as reported by Yonhap. He described Japan's characterization of North Korea as a threat as "turning black into white."