Foreign Lens

Japan's rearmament debate

Read by Asia-Pacific

How Asia-Pacific newspapers react to Japan's military buildup and its move away from postwar pacifism.

Asia-Pacific on Japan's rearmament and military buildup

Chinese nationalist outlets call Japan's nuclear talk and missile build-up a militarist revival

Huanqiu, Guancha and on.cc did almost all the angry coverage of Japan's rearmament. Much of it repeats Chinese Foreign Ministry statements, along with lines from Pyongyang and Moscow. Their main targets were Defense Minister Koizumi's call for "taboo-free" nuclear debate, US anti-ship missiles going to Yonaguni and the plan for 52,000 drones. Outside the Chinese-language press, coverage was mostly neutral wire copy, and the Pacific outlets did not take up the topic. Huanqiu (环球网), 30 SepHuanqiu (环球网), 29 SepGuancha (观察者网), 2 OctHuanqiu (环球网), 30 SepOriental Daily / on.cc (東方日報), 18 Sep

  1. French Polynesia Tahiti Infos Nothing on this
  2. French Polynesia Radio 1 Tahiti Nothing on this
  3. New Caledonia Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes 2/10 at its hottest, 1 piece
  4. Timor-Leste Tatoli 0/10 at its hottest, 2 pieces
  5. Fiji The Fiji Times Nothing on this
  6. Samoa Samoa Observer Nothing on this
  7. Tonga Matangi Tonga Nothing on this
  8. Vanuatu Vanuatu Daily Post 0/10 at its hottest, 2 pieces
  9. Solomon Islands The Island Sun Nothing on this
  10. Papua New Guinea Post-Courier 1/10 at its hottest, 3 pieces
  11. Palau Island Times 2/10 at its hottest, 1 piece
  12. Cook Islands Cook Islands News Nothing on this
  13. Guam (US territory) Pacific Daily News Nothing on this
  14. Philippines Bombo Radyo Nothing on this
  15. China Huanqiu (环球网) 7/10 at its hottest, 3 pieces
  16. Indonesia Tribunnews 1/10 at its hottest, 1 piece
  17. Malaysia Harian Metro 0/10 at its hottest, 2 pieces
  18. Vietnam VnExpress 2/10 at its hottest, 1 piece
  19. South Korea Chosun Ilbo 1/10 at its hottest, 1 piece
  20. Thailand Thairath 2/10 at its hottest, 2 pieces
  21. India Dainik Bhaskar 1/10 at its hottest, 2 pieces
  22. Indonesia Republika 1/10 at its hottest, 1 piece
  23. Malaysia Utusan Malaysia 0/10 at its hottest, 1 piece
  24. Fiji FBC News 0/10 at its hottest, 2 pieces
  25. Fiji Fijivillage Nothing on this
  26. Fiji Fiji Sun Nothing on this
  27. Samoa Talamua 0/10 at its hottest, 1 piece
  28. American Samoa (US territory) Talanei Nothing on this
  29. Tonga Tonga Independent News Nothing on this
  30. Vanuatu VBTC News (Radio Vanuatu / TV Blong Vanuatu) Nothing on this
  31. Solomon Islands SIBC Nothing on this
  32. Solomon Islands Solomon Times Online 0/10 at its hottest, 1 piece
  33. Solomon Islands Tavuli News Nothing on this
  34. Papua New Guinea The National 0/10 at its hottest, 2 pieces
  35. Papua New Guinea EMTV News Nothing on this
  36. Guam (US territory) The Guam Daily Post 1/10 at its hottest, 2 pieces
  37. New Caledonia Radio Rythme Bleu Nothing on this
  38. Timor-Leste Timor Post 0/10 at its hottest, 1 piece
  39. Timor-Leste Diligente Nothing on this
  40. Philippines Abante Nothing on this
  41. Philippines Brigada News Nothing on this
  42. China Guancha (观察者网) 5/10 at its hottest, 2 pieces
  43. Taiwan United Daily News (聯合新聞網) Nothing on this
  44. Hong Kong HK01 (香港01) 0/10 at its hottest, 2 pieces
  45. South Korea Hankyoreh (한겨레) 2/10 at its hottest, 1 piece
  46. South Korea Yonhap News (연합뉴스) 3/10 at its hottest, 1 piece
  47. South Korea Kookje Shinmun (국제신문) 0/10 at its hottest, 1 piece
  48. Indonesia detikcom Nothing on this
  49. Indonesia Kompas.com 0/10 at its hottest, 1 piece
  50. Malaysia Sin Chew Daily (星洲日报) 2/10 at its hottest, 1 piece
  51. Singapore Lianhe Zaobao (联合早报) 2/10 at its hottest, 2 pieces
  52. Singapore Berita Harian (Singapore) 2/10 at its hottest, 2 pieces
  53. Singapore Tamil Murasu (தமிழ் முரசு) Can only see back to 4 Oct 2026
  54. Vietnam Tuổi Trẻ 1/10 at its hottest, 1 piece
  55. Vietnam Dân Trí 0/10 at its hottest, 1 piece
  56. Thailand Matichon (มติชน) Nothing on this
  57. Thailand Khaosod (ข่าวสด) 1/10 at its hottest, 1 piece
  58. Cambodia Koh Santepheap (កោះសន្តិភាព) Can only see back to 4 Oct 2026
  59. India Daily Thanthi (தினத்தந்தி) Can only see back to 5 Oct 2026
  60. Pakistan Daily Express (ایکسپریس) Can only see back to 4 Oct 2026
  61. Mongolia IKON.MN Can only see back to 2 Oct 2026
  62. Pakistan Daily Jang (جنگ) Can only see back to 2 Oct 2026
  63. Pakistan Nawa-i-Waqt (نوائے وقت) 2/10 at its hottest, 1 piece
  64. Pakistan Daily Pakistan (روزنامہ پاکستان) Can only see back to 26 Sep 2026
  65. Pakistan ARY News Urdu (اے آر وائی نیوز) Can only see back to 5 Oct 2026
  66. Pakistan Nai Baat (نئی بات) Nothing on this
  67. Pakistan Ummat (امت) Can only see back to 5 Oct 2026
  68. Pakistan Independent Urdu (انڈپینڈنٹ اردو) Can only see back to 4 Oct 2026
  69. Pakistan WeNews (وی نیوز) Can only see back to 5 Oct 2026
  70. Pakistan Awami Awaz (عوامي آواز) Can only see back to 2 Oct 2026
  71. Pakistan Khyber News Pashto (خیبر نیوز) Can only see back to 3 Oct 2026
  72. Pakistan WeNews Pashto (وی نیوز پښتو) Can only see back to 4 Oct 2026
  73. Vietnam Tin tức 24h 2/10 at its hottest, 1 piece
  74. Indonesia Liputan6 2/10 at its hottest, 1 piece
  75. Guam (US territory) Pacific Island Times Nothing on this
  76. India Amar Ujala (अमर उजाला) 1/10 at its hottest, 2 pieces
  77. Thailand Daily News (เดลินิวส์) 0/10 at its hottest, 1 piece
  78. Hong Kong Oriental Daily / on.cc (東方日報) 5/10 at its hottest, 2 pieces
  79. Indonesia Suara.com 2/10 at its hottest, 1 piece

Blind spots: Tamil Murasu (தமிழ் முரசு), Koh Santepheap (កោះសន្តិភាព), Daily Express (ایکسپریس), Daily Thanthi (தினத்தந்தி), IKON.MN, Daily Jang (جنگ), ARY News Urdu (اے آر وائی نیوز), Daily Pakistan (روزنامہ پاکستان), Ummat (امت), Independent Urdu (انڈپینڈنٹ اردو), WeNews (وی نیوز), WeNews Pashto (وی نیوز پښتو), Khyber News Pashto (خیبر نیوز), Awami Awaz (عوامي آواز), Chosun Ilbo, Sin Chew Daily (星洲日报), The Guam Daily Post.

  1. 7

    Huanqiu reports the Chinese Foreign Ministry calling Koizumi's call to discuss nuclear weapons and nuclear submarines "with no taboos" a piece of "wild talk" (狂言). It calls the remarks "a grave provocation against, and open trampling on, the NPT" that "exposes the nuclear-armament ambitions of Japan's right-wing forces." It ties this to the 80th anniversary of the Tokyo Trials.

    This is the most heated item in the set. It turns a Japanese debate about the three non-nuclear principles into a charge that Japan is breaking international law. Expect this line to come back in Beijing's messaging. Huanqiu (环球网), 30 Sep

  2. 6

    Huanqiu's own in-depth piece (not wire copy) says the Takaichi government is letting Japan's military-industrial complex "rise from the dead" through subsidies, LDP donations from defence contractors and deregulation. It says Japan dresses up offensive weapons as "counterstrike capability" and links all this to prewar crimes "too numerous to record."

    This is Huanqiu building its own case, not just repeating officials. It names specific firms, including MHI and Prodrone, and a Koizumi factory visit. That gives the militarism charge something concrete to point to. Huanqiu (环球网), 29 Sep

  3. 6

    Huanqiu carries a North Korean KCNA commentary, via Xinhua. It says Japan under Takaichi "already has the full appearance of a war state," that new ammunition depots will make the archipelago "a huge powder keg," and that Japan's "new militarists" will "once again bring defeat upon themselves."

    This is wire copy, so it is not Huanqiu's own view. But Huanqiu chose to give Pyongyang's threat to Chinese readers. The angle is unusual: ammunition storage, not missiles. Huanqiu (环球网), 30 Sep

Read the full Asia-Pacific lens: 57 translated articles, where outlets split, and what the coverage says about the countries themselves.