Addressing defense officials, military leaders and diplomats gathered in Singapore, Koizumi argued that criticism of Japan’s security posture was misplaced given the country’s longstanding adherence to international law and the absence of strategic weapons such as nuclear arms and long-range strategic bombers.

“Think about it. There’s a country that has a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons and strategic bombers. Japan has neither of such weapons, and yet Japan is labelled ‘new militarism’?” Koizumi said in remarks widely interpreted as directed at China.

The comments reflected growing tensions between Asia’s two largest economies as regional governments respond to shifting security dynamics in the Indo-Pacific. Japan has expanded defense spending and strengthened security partnerships in recent years amid concerns over China’s military modernization and increasingly assertive actions in regional waters.

Koizumi said Japan had consistently supported the international rules-based order since the end of the Second World War and remained committed to the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

“Since the end of the Second World War, Japan has consistently respected international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, and has made sincere efforts to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order,” he said.

The speech came weeks after China’s Foreign Ministry urged Asia-Pacific nations to remain vigilant against what it described as Japan’s “neo-militarism,” reflecting Beijing’s longstanding concerns over Tokyo’s defense reforms and closer security cooperation with Western allies.

Koizumi also expressed disappointment that he was unable to meet Chinese defense officials during the forum.

“I feel sad,” he said, referring to the absence of Chinese counterparts from discussions at the annual gathering.

For the second consecutive year, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun did not attend the Shangri-La Dialogue, depriving regional officials of one of the few opportunities for informal high-level military engagement between China and other countries.

The absence comes as strategic competition intensifies across the Indo-Pacific, with disputes in the South China Sea, concerns over Taiwan, and competing military buildups increasingly shaping regional security discussions.

Japan’s efforts to modernize its defense capabilities have become a central element of its national security strategy, but Tokyo maintains that its policies remain defensive in nature and consistent with the country’s post-war constitutional framework.