On January 7, People’s Daily reported on the Japanese government’s plan to strengthen its defense forces. In response to China’s growing naval power, Japan will officially launch its 2015 plan for the Southwest area. In an interview with CCTV, military experts said that the reason for the Japanese to launch this program is out of consideration of Abe’s policy and domestic economic situation. The plan for the defense program is to increase Japan’s defense deployment in the Southwest and its ability to control the sea and air. [As a result], the possibility of misfires between China and Japan will increase.
Yang Bojiang, the Director of the Institute of Japan Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that Japan has two reasons for launching its National Defense Program. The first is that Abe’s policy requires it. Abe has been implementing Japan’s "full normalization." Japan has made significant changes in its defense concepts, relevant policies, institutional settings, military deployment, and procurement of weapons systems. The second is that Japan is not optimistic about its current economic situation. It needs to use this program to handle its internal contradictions.
In recent years, the Japanese have continued to strengthen their efforts to develop a naval blockade against China. Du Wenlong, a researcher at the PLA Academy of Military Sciences, noted that China has an urgent need for naval training. In the future, China’s underwater submarines and its surface or air combat fighter fleet will all pass through the first island chain. Japan also has military deployment in these areas and does not rule out the deployment of an air defense weapons system in the future. As a result, Japan will increase its frequency and its capacity to monitor and interfere with Chinese ships and planes. In response, China will carry out counter measures, causing friction and conflict. The scope and intensity of the friction will increase.
Source: People’s Daily: January 7, 2015
http://military.people.com.cn/n/2015/0107/c1011-26339168.html