Japan defense paper notes China's assertiveness over maritime rows+

TOKYO, Aug. 2 Kyodo -
Japan is worried about China's ''assertive'' approach in dealing with neighbors over issues of conflicting interest, with their maritime disputes in mind, and urges Beijing to be aware of its duty as a major power, the Defense Ministry said in its annual white paper on Tuesday.
The Defense of Japan 2011 report stated ''attention needs to be paid'' to the Chinese military's recent maritime activities including operations by naval vessels near Japan and development of facilities that serve as bases for these activities.
''In regards to the issues on conflicting interest with the surrounding countries, including Japan, China's response has been criticized as assertive, and there is a concern over its future direction,'' the paper said in its provisional English text, using a Japanese expression that can also be translated as ''overbearing'' to characterize China's approach.
Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa, in a news conference after the paper was officially approved, stressed the Japanese term to characterize Beijing's stance toward other nations meant ''assertive'' in English and reflects ''a view of the international community.''
Kitazawa said the term was also intended to ''show our wish for China to deal with these issues amid friendly relations.''
The annual review, which contained more than 400 pages of main text apart from references, was released amid China's intensifying activities in the East China Sea over the past year, including near the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands which it claims.
A diplomatic row erupted between Tokyo and Beijing in September last year in the wake of collisions between a Chinese fishing boat and two Japanese patrol boats near the Senkakus, while in June, 11 Chinese military ships passed through the seas between Okinawa's main island and Miyako Island.
China is also embroiled with some Southeast Asian nations including the Philippines and Vietnam over the sovereignty of islands in the South China Sea.
Based on these and other actions in recent years such as modernization of its air force, Beijing is expected to continue expanding its activities in waters near Japan, including the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean as well as the South China Sea, and make such operations a ''routine practice,'' the paper said.
The report also said Japan needs to keep a close watch on North Korea in view of such events as its fatal shelling of South Korea's Yeonpyeong Island, the revelation of the existence of a uranium enrichment facility to a U.S. scientist, both last November, and moves to arrange a power succession from leader Kim Jong Il.
It listed for the first time Pyongyang's development of the Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile, which is based on the former Soviet Union's SSN-6 submarine-launched ballistic missile and which has a firing range that could include Guam.
On the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, the report devoted a section to relief operations by Japan's Self-Defense Forces and said their cooperation with the U.S. military, which launched its own ''Tomodachi'' relief operation, helped to deepen the bilateral alliance.
The white paper also warned that the threat of international terrorism has not changed following the death in May of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in a U.S. operation.