The Chinese People's Liberation Army will conduct a four-day live-fire exercise beginning on Aug 15, off the coast of Xiangshan county, East China's Zhejiang province.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has decided not to visit the war-linked controversial Yasukuni Shrine on Thursday, the 68th anniversary of Japan's surrender in the World War II, local media reported.
Despite Japan's surrender to the allies 68 years ago, the ghost of militarism still haunts Asia and threatens to challenge the post-war world order.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has decided not to visit the war-linked controversial Yasukuni Shrine on August 15, the 68th anniversary of Japan's surrender in the World War II.
Japan is to lift its self-imposed ban on the right to exercise collective self-defense with its military allies.
Japan on Tuesday unveiled the "Izumo" warship, its largest one with 248 meters in length and 38 meters in width, and is expected to deploy the military ship in March 2015 for the Maritime Self-Defense Forces.
Tokyo is planning to boost surveillance in waters around the Diaoyu Islands and acquire the ability to launch pre-emptive military strikes in a defense policy update that may set off alarm bells in China. Diaoyu Islands dispute
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is unlikely to visit the controversial war-linked Yasukuni Shrine in the "memorial day for the end of the war" on August 15, reported local media on Thursday.
China's military is strongly discontented with and firmly opposed to a recent Japanese defense report and has lodged a solemn representation to the Japanese side.
Preparations for attempted "invasions" by other countries are on Japan's radar though its 2013 defense white paper admits the possibility is remote.
Japan highlighted China as a major security threat in its latest defense white paper released on Tuesday, using harsher language than in previous papers.
Japanese defense report worrisome
FM spokeswoman Hua Chunying Tuesday described Japan's annual defense report as an attempt to play up the "China threat," adding that Japan's efforts to bolster its military are worrisome. Japan highlights China as 'security threat'