In its annual defense white paper, Japan's government denounced Chinese maritime activities and self defense programs.

The 480-page white paper devotes some 30 pages to China's defense measures and China's activities in the East China Sea and the South China Sea.

One opposition politician has accused Abe of playing up the fictitious idea of a looming "Chinese threat" in order to gain support for his plan to change the country's pacifist constitution.

"Abe has been hyping up the theory of the 'China Threat' since he became the Prime Minister, constructing China as an imaginary enemy. He has played up that China would attack Japan, so Japan must increase its defense capabilities," said Totsuka Shinya, former member of parliament.

"This is the general trend and spirit of recent years' defense white papers. This is to transform Japan's Self-Defense Force into a real army by changing the peace constitution. This is the Liberal Democratic Party's real intention, which I am against. It is not right to talk about China and the South China Sea issue, as Japan is not part of it."