Japan releases ”Defense White Paper”...Criticized by South Korea and China

Japan has once again included content that provokes South Korea and China in its defense white paper, drawing criticism from both countries.
"Based on a misunderstanding of the situation, China has unduly interfered in China's internal affairs and fabricated the so-called 'China threat theory,'" he said. "China has expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this and has already issued strict legal instructions to Japan."
"The Taiwan issue is entirely China's internal affairs, and how to resolve the Taiwan issue is up to the Chinese people themselves," he said.
"China adheres to the path of peaceful development and implements a defensive national defense policy. China's national defense construction and military activities are legitimate and reasonable, and its military cooperation with other countries is in line with international law and practice," he said.
In the defense white paper released on the same day, the Japanese government cited China as a threat, including increased military pressure on Taiwan and increased maritime activity around the Senkaku Islands.
It also described China as the "greatest strategic challenge" and made it clear that it should be dealt with through cooperation and collaboration with allies and friendly nations.
In response, spokesman Lin Jian said, "Japan deeply regrets its historical guilt and regrets its past actions.
"We urge them to take this lesson seriously and stop using tensions in the region and China-related issues as an excuse to justify their own military buildup," he said.
Meanwhile, the South Korean government also commented in its defense white paper that Takeshima (known as Liancourt Rocks in Korea as Dokdo) is its "inherent territory."
The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement in a spokesperson's statement on the same day saying, "The government has stated that the Japanese government's defense white paper states that the islands are an inherent part of our country's territory, which is clear from a historical, geographical and international legal perspective.
"We strongly protest against the repeated unjust territorial claims over the islands and strongly demand that they be immediately withdrawn," he said.
"We would like to make it clear once again that any claims by Japan regarding Liancourt Rocks will in no way affect our country's sovereignty, and we will respond firmly to any provocations by Japan regarding Liancourt Rocks."
As part of this, the Ministry of National Defense's International Policy Officer Lee Kwang-seok summoned Japanese Defense Attaché in South Korea Hirofumi Inoue to lodge a protest and demanded immediate correction and
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also summoned officials from the Japanese Embassy in Korea to lodge a protest that afternoon.
The Defense White Paper states that the territorial disputes over the Northern Territories and Takeshima, which are the inherent territory of the country (Japan), remain unresolved.
It publishes unsubstantiated claims.