Japan Wary of China Military           09/10 08:47

   TOKYO (AP) -- Japan's Defense Ministry stressed the importance of U.S. 
military forces in Japan and cast a wary eye on China's military expansion in 
an annual report Friday, as diplomatic tensions with China rose following a 
collision near disputed islands.

   The annual defense policy report also said a group of South 
Korean-controlled islands, called Dokdo in Korean and Takeshima in Japanese, 
were an "integral" part of Japanese territory --- prompting protesters in South 
Korea's capital to try to burn a Japanese flag in a show of anger.

   The report's release comes amid a growing diplomatic dispute between Japan 
and China. Beijing has warned Tokyo that bilateral ties could be damaged over 
the arrest of a Chinese fishing boat captain whose ship collided with two 
Japanese patrol vessels Tuesday near disputed islands in the East China Sea.

   China has increased its activity in Japanese waters to defend its territory, 
protect its maritime interests and deter Taiwanese independence, the defense 
report said.

   Highlighting China's increased military spending, it said Beijing's lack of 
openness in its defense policies and military activities were "a matter of 
concern for the region and the international community, including Japan, which 
should require prudent analysis."

   It said China has not disclosed specific information about its weapons, 
procurement goals, details of major units and its national defense budget.

   China has released defense reports every two years since 1998 but has not 
yet achieved the level of transparency expected for "a responsible major power 
in the international society," it said.

   China also is developing the technology needed for possessing its own 
aircraft carrier, it said.

   The report highlighted the importance of American forces based in Japan 
under a security pact that marks its 50th anniversary this year, saying they 
act as a deterrence that contributes to Japan's defense as well as regional 
security.

   In particular, having U.S. forces on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa 
offers a strategic advantage because of its geographic location, allowing them 
to respond more quickly to emergencies in East Asia than if they were based in 
Hawaii, Guam or the U.S. mainland, it said.

   However, many residents of the island of Okinawa, which hosts three-quarters 
of all U.S. military facilities in Japan, want the bases moved off the island.

   Under a 2006 agreement to reorganize the 47,000 U.S. troops in Japan, 
Washington is to move 8,000 Marines from Okinawa to the U.S. territory of Guam 
and relocate U.S. Marine Air Station Futenma, set in the middle of a city, to a 
less crowded part of the island by 2014.

   The report said that moving Futenma out of Okinawa --- as proposed by former 
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama --- would hinder the Marines' response 
capabilities, and it was "unavoidable" to keep the base's operations on the 
island.


(KA)